🔐 NookChat – A One-Time Encrypted, Anonymous Chat App (No Login Required)

#webdev #javascript #ai #chatapp

🚀 What is NookChat?

NookChat is a lightweight, anonymous chat app designed for one-time, private conversations. It uses end-to-end encryption, requires no login or registration, and deletes all chat data once the session ends. Perfect for people who just want a private corner — a digital “nook” — to talk securely.

🔗 Live Demo
📦 GitHub Repo

🌟 Like It? Show Some Love!

If you found NookChat interesting, helpful, or inspiring — consider giving the project a ⭐️ on GitHub. It really motivates me to keep building and sharing open-source projects!

👉 Star on GitHub

✨ Key Features

🔐 AES-256 End-to-End Encryption using CryptoJS
🧑‍🚫 No Authentication Required — just share a room code
🧹 Ephemeral Messaging — all messages are deleted after the session
😊 Emoji Picker + Skin tone support
📎 Image/File Upload (securely handled)
🔔 Custom Sound Notifications
🌙 Dark/Light Mode (auto-detects system preference)
🤖 AI Reply Suggestions via Gemini AI
🧵 Reply Threads for organized conversations
📱 Mobile Responsive with full touch support
📊 Privacy-Focused Analytics using Google Analytics (gtag.js)

🛠️ Tech Stack

Frontend: Next.js + Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui
Backend: Node.js, Express, Socket.IO
Encryption: AES-256 with CryptoJS + Web Crypto API
Hosting: Vercel
File Uploads: Server-local with support to scale to cloud
Realtime: WebSockets via Socket.IO
Analytics: GA4 (privacy-configured)
AI: Gemini API for reply suggestions

📸 Sneak Peek

➡️ Check out the full walkthrough video on LinkedIn:

🔗 Watch on LinkedIn

(Note: DEV.to doesn’t allow iframes, so use the link above. You can also add a static thumbnail image that links to the video.)

💡 Why I Built This

Privacy-focused messaging apps often come with friction — sign-ups, third-party logins, or bloated features. I wanted something simple, fast, and truly ephemeral. NookChat is for those one-time conversations that don’t need to live forever, just like a real-life whisper in a quiet corner.