new version is created — a messenger that uses email as a transport instead of its own servers (chat-over-email, a specialized email client functioning as a messenger). Application code is licensed under GPLv3, while the core library is available under MPL 2.0 (Mozilla Public License). The release is available on Google Play.
In the new version:
- Reduced traffic consumption. Delta Chat no longer downloads messages that won’t be displayed, such as regular email messages and messages from blocked contacts.
- Added the ability to pin chats. Pinned chats always appear at the top of the list.
- When adding contacts via QR code, there is no need to wait for contact verification. The new contact is added instantly, while the message exchange for verification occurs in the background.
- A built-in FAQ has been added, mirroring , but accessible offline.
- The application integrates , which forms suggestions for account setup to be used with Delta Chat. For example, it may be necessary to enable IMAP in the account settings or generate an application password.
- Fixed bugs that led to incorrect serialization of encrypted messages when using Ed25519 keys. By default, Delta Chat still uses RSA keys, with a transition to Ed25519 keys planned for upcoming versions.
- Numerous fixes have been made to the application core Delta Chat is fully user-controlled and not tied to centralized services. Registration with new services is not required—an existing email can be used as an identifier. If the correspondent does not use Delta Chat, they can read the message as a regular letter. Spam fighting is carried out by filtering messages from unknown users (by default, only messages from contacts in the address book and those to whom messages were previously sent, as well as replies to one's own messages, are displayed). Attachments and attached images and videos can be shown.
It's worth noting that Delta Chat does not use its own servers and can work with almost any email server that supports SMTP and IMAP (for quick notification of new messages, it employs the ). Encryption is supported using OpenPGP and the standard for simple automatic configuration and key exchange without using key servers (the key is automatically sent in the first message). The implementation of end-to-end encryption is based on the code , which underwent an independent security audit this year. Traffic is encrypted using TLS in standard system library implementations.
unofficial bindings for Go. An update
Group chats can be created, allowing multiple participants to communicate. There is an option to bind a verifiable list of participants to the group, preventing unauthorized individuals from reading the messages (the verification of participants is carried out through cryptographic signatures, and messages are encrypted using end-to-end encryption). Connecting to verified groups is done via an invitation sent with a QR code. Verified chats are currently experimental but their support is planned to be stabilized in early 2020 after the completion of the security audit.
The core of the messenger is being developed separately as a library and can be used to write new clients and bots. The current version of the core library is written in Rust (the old version in C). There are bindings available for Python, Node.js, and Java. In for Linux and macOS, built on the Electron platform, was also released at the end of February. A new version of Delta Chat 1.2 has been released - a messenger.
Source: opennet.ru
