Bitchat

Decentralized Application

Decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application operating over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks. No internet, servers, phone numbers, or accounts required. Each device acts as both client and relay, automatically discovering peers and forwarding messages across multiple hops (max 7). Features Noise Protocol encryption with forward secrecy, IRC-style group channels with hashtags, optional password protection, Panic Mode data wipe, and Nostr integration for internet-connected global messaging. Built as a weekend experiment by Jack Dorsey .

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Details

License Open source (public domain); github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat — Swift (iOS/macOS); whitepaper on GitHub; build via Xcode with xcodegen or Swift Package Manager
Dev Status 🔬 Beta
Dev Status Detail Beta / Active (v1.3.0+; iOS/macOS App Store release; Android available; 360,000+ worldwide downloads by late Sept 2025; significant adoption in Madagascar protests (70,000 downloads in one week), Nepal protests (50,000 downloads in one day), Uganda and Iran during internet blackouts Jan 2026; active development; security audit not yet completed)
Owner Jack Dorsey (co-founder of Twitter/X, CEO of Block Inc.); developed under 'and Other Stuff' open-source collective funded by Dorsey; published via permissionlesstech GitHub organization
Country USA
Start Year 2025
Stack Swift (iOS/macOS app); Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networking; Noise Protocol Framework (encryption); Nostr protocol (internet-connected messaging since v1.3.0); binary protocol optimized for BLE constraints; Xcode/xcodegen build system
Funding 'and Other Stuff' open-source collective (funded by Jack Dorsey personally)
Last Investigated Mar 9, 2026

Use Case Domains

Communication

Affordances

End-to-end encrypted Works offline / mesh

Decentralized Application Attributes

Origins Weekend experiment by Jack Dorsey (July 2025; motivation to learn about Bluetooth mesh networks, relay/store-and-forward models, and message encryption; IRC nostalgia; decentralization ethos from Twitter/Bluesky background)
Database None (no persistent database; messages stored temporarily on-device only; disappear by default; Panic Mode wipes all local data with triple-tap; no server-side storage)
Query Language N/A (no query interface; real-time message relay via BLE mesh and Nostr)
Data Formats Custom binary protocol (compact packet format optimized for Bluetooth LE constraints); Noise Protocol encrypted payloads; Nostr events (NIP-compliant for internet messaging); geohash-based location channels
Collaborative Live Editing No (text messaging only; no document collaboration)
Rich Text Editing No (plain text messages; IRC-style chat)
Mobile Support Yes (iOS 16.0+ App Store; Android; designed mobile-first — BLE mesh requires physical device proximity)
Web Support No (no web interface; operates via native mobile/desktop apps only; BLE requires hardware access)
Native Apps Yes (iOS/iPadOS via App Store; macOS via App Store; Apple Vision Pro; Android; no Windows/Linux native apps)
Terms Free / open source (public domain license; no subscriptions, in-app purchases, or ad trackers; no account required)
Funds Not disclosed (personally funded by Dorsey; no external investment; free to users)
Based On Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE mesh networking); Noise Protocol Framework (end-to-end encryption with forward secrecy); Nostr protocol (internet relay for global reach); IRC (conceptual inspiration for channel-based chat)
Use Case Category Offline/emergency communication (disaster response, protests, internet blackouts, festivals, areas without connectivity; censorship-resistant messaging)
User Interface Type Mobile chat app (IRC-style interface with hashtag channels; minimalist design; Panic Mode button)
Offline Capabilities Fully offline (core design — BLE mesh requires zero internet infrastructure; Nostr provides optional internet extension; store-and-forward for temporarily offline peers)
Collaboration Features Group channels (IRC-style hashtag channels with optional password protection; #mesh default local channel; geohash-based location channels via Nostr; direct messages with E2EE)
Data Portability None (messages are ephemeral; device-only storage; no export or backup mechanism; Panic Mode intentionally destroys all data)
Integration Ecosystem Nostr (internet-connected messaging layer since v1.3.0; geohash location channels; Nostr relay integration for global reach beyond BLE range)
Web2 Data Export No (no data persistence or export by design)
Prosocial Coherence Moderate (designed for communication freedom and censorship resistance; empowers protest and disaster communication; no identity verification — pseudonymous; community-oriented but no built-in prosocial incentive structures)
Economic Flows No (no economic or transaction features; free communication tool)
Governance & Decision Making None (no governance mechanisms; open-source development led by Dorsey/'and Other Stuff'; community contributions via GitHub)
Media / Publishing No (text messaging only; no publishing features)
Knowledge Management No (ephemeral messages; no knowledge persistence)
Sensemaking No
Project Management No
Communication Model BLE mesh relay (multi-hop up to 7 hops within ~300m per hop; flooding mesh where every device relays; Nostr for internet-connected global messaging; IRC-style group channels and direct messages)
Network Resilience High (functions during internet blackouts, natural disasters, protest shutdowns; no infrastructure dependency; proven in Madagascar, Nepal, Uganda, Iran; vulnerable to Bluetooth jamming)
Discovery Mechanism Automatic BLE peer discovery (devices automatically find nearby Bitchat users; no manual configuration; Nostr for internet-connected discovery; geohash channels for location-based grouping)
Max Participants Limited by BLE range (~300m per hop, max 7 hops; no theoretical user limit but BLE congestion at high density; Nostr extends to global scale for internet-connected users)
Data Sovereignty Full device-level (no servers store data; no accounts or phone numbers; messages exist only on local devices; Panic Mode erases everything; no metadata collection)