A secure peer-to-peer messaging application that works offline over local networks, built for the PEARS Hackathon.
- Local Network Discovery - Automatically find peers on the same Wi-Fi
- Offline-First Messaging - Works without internet connection
- File Sharing - Send images, documents, and other files (PDF, TXT, etc.)
- Secure Communication - Direct peer-to-peer connections with no central server
- Message History - Local storage of conversations
- Typing Indicators - See when others are typing
- Lightweight UI - Clean and intuitive interface
- PeerJS (WebRTC for P2P communication)
- React + Vite (Frontend framework)
- multicast-dns (Local network peer discovery)
- Tailwind CSS (Styling)
- Framer Motion (Animations)
- LocalStorage (Message persistence)
- Node.js (v18+)
- npm (v9+)
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/lantern-messenger.git
cd lantern-messenger
📖 Usage
Share Your Peer ID:
Copy your unique peer ID from the header
Share via QR code or manually with other users
Connect to Peers:
Enter a peer's ID in the connection box
Click "Connect"
Start Chatting:
Send text messages or files
View message history even when offline
Drag-and-drop file sharing supported
🌐 About (PEARS Hackathon Submission)
LANtern Messenger addresses the critical need for offline communication in scenarios where internet access is unavailable or unreliable. Designed for:
Emergency situations
Remote areas with poor connectivity
Secure local team communication
Privacy-conscious users
Why It Stands Out:
🛡️ No Third-Party Servers: All data stays between devices
🔋 Low Bandwidth Usage: Optimized for weak networks
📁 File Sharing: Exchange crucial documents offline
🔄 Auto-Reconnect: Maintains connections through network instability
🤝 Contributing
Fork the repository
Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
Open a Pull Request
📜 License
Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.
🙏 Acknowledgments
PeerJS team for the excellent P2P library
Vite team for the fast React tooling
Tailwind CSS for the utility-first styling