EphemeralChat

EphemeralChat is a privacy-first, real-time 1-to-1 chat app built so conversations stay between peers. Messages travel directly over WebRTC DataChannels, and the server is used only for short-lived signaling during room setup.

There is no database, no message persistence, and no third-party chat backend relaying your conversation. That makes the app a good fit for private, temporary communication where you do not want chats stored, indexed, or replayed later.

Why this exists

Most chat products optimize for retention, analytics, and long-term storage. EphemeralChat is built for the opposite use case: fast, disposable conversations with minimal surface area and no content history.

Key features

• Peer-to-peer chat over WebRTC DataChannels
• Zero message persistence
• No database for chat content
• Short-lived signaling only for room negotiation
• One-click room creation and shareable room links
• Minimal UI focused on fast access and clarity
• Built with TypeScript for safer, maintainable code

Privacy and security model

• Messages are not stored on a central server.
• The signaling server only exchanges SDP and ICE information needed to connect peers.
• Room traffic is not routed through a message relay once the data channel is established.
• The app avoids unnecessary third-party processing of chat content.

Tech stack

• Frontend: Next.js 14, React 18, Tailwind CSS 3
• Signaling: Cloudflare Workers + Durable Objects
• Transport: WebRTC with STUN-only ICE in V1

Repository structure

• apps/web - Next.js frontend
• apps/signaling - Cloudflare Worker signaling service
• DEPLOYMENT.md - production deployment guide

Getting started locally

Prerequisites

• Node.js 20+
• pnpm 8+

Install dependencies

pnpm install
cp .env.example apps/web/.env.local

Make sure apps/web/.env.local contains:

NEXT_PUBLIC_SIGNALING_URL=ws://localhost:8787

Run the app

Start the signaling server:

pnpm dev:signaling

In a second terminal, start the web app:

pnpm dev:web

Then open the local app, create a room, copy the link, and open it in a second tab to test the full flow.

Environment variables

Variable	App	Description
NEXT_PUBLIC_SIGNALING_URL	web	WebSocket base URL for signaling, such as ws://localhost:8787 in development or wss://your-worker.workers.dev in production

Scripts

Command	Description
pnpm dev:web	Start the Next.js dev server
pnpm dev:signaling	Start the Wrangler dev server
pnpm build	Build all packages
pnpm typecheck	Run TypeScript checks across the workspace
pnpm lint	Lint all packages
pnpm test	Run unit tests

Deployment

See DEPLOYMENT.md for the full production deployment guide.

Architecture

flowchart LR
        A[Browser A] <-- WebRTC DataChannel --> B[Browser B]
        A <-- SDP/ICE signaling --> S[Cloudflare Worker]
        B <-- SDP/ICE signaling --> S
        S --- D[(Durable Object per room)]

Loading

After the DataChannel opens, message bytes no longer pass through the server.

Known limitations

• No TURN server, so some restrictive networks may fail to connect
• No reconnect after page refresh
• STUN-only ICE in V1

License

Apache 2.0