First Blog Post

October, 2024

Welcome to the ChatChap Developer Blog! I'm excited to share some updates on the progress of ChatChap, the secure messaging app I’ve been developing solo for the past year and a half.

ChatChap is designed with privacy in mind—none of your personal information is collected or used. Unlike most messaging apps, ChatChap doesn’t require a phone number to register. Instead, all that’s needed is your email address, which is used solely for registration. The email is hashed using a one-way function, meaning it can't be reversed back to the original email address.

This hashing allows ChatChap to identify if you already have an account, for example, when you're switching phones or reinstalling the app. It also helps you discover which of your email contacts are already using ChatChap, so you can start chatting with them. Once registered, we no longer have access to your email, and for security, you’ll receive a registration code by email to confirm ownership.

ChatChap doesn’t store your name, email, phone number, or any other personal information. You can send text messages, pictures, voice messages, files, locations, and even share contacts—just like other messaging apps. It also supports push notifications, so you won’t miss any incoming messages.

Adding contacts is simple: you can scan someone’s QR code, enter their email address, or even add a contact from a message they’ve sent you. There are probably a few more features I’ve added that I’m forgetting right now, but you’ll be able to explore them soon enough.

ChatChap uses end-to-end encryption, ensuring that nobody can read your messages—except the intended recipient. While I can’t guarantee that even the NSA couldn’t crack it (because nothing is ever 100% foolproof), it’s as secure as I can make it with triple encryption.

As a solo developer, I can’t compete with the sheer volume of features offered by apps like WhatsApp or Telegram, but one thing you can be sure of is that your data won’t be used for marketing or any other purposes. Your privacy is my priority.

In terms of future updates, I plan to introduce cryptocurrency transfers, such as Bitcoin, in a later release. This feature is complicated by the various regulations imposed by platforms like the Google Play Store and the different laws across countries. I’m also considering offering a version of ChatChap outside of the Play Store with cryptocurrency functionality, while the Play Store version would remain a straightforward chat app.

I’m still debating whether to include voice and video calling in the initial release, but I’ll make that decision soon. At the moment, I’m focused on fixing the last few bugs. Testing will begin shortly, and once everything is running smoothly, I’m hopeful to release the first version of ChatChap in the next month or two.

Upcoming Features

• Secure Bitcoin transfer
• Voice calling