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LearningHowToCode

Oct 14, 2016

How would you go about building an Instant Messaging app like Telegram?

I want to be an Android developer. Can you please help me about what popular apps like telegram use?

I mean which technology. When I search on YouTube or Google about how to make a chat app I only get firebase based tutorials.. And I don't think I can make fully featured app with that.. So please tell me what popular apps use.

#programming #system-architecture #android

Responses(2)

Marco Alka

Software Engineer, Technical Consultant & Mentor

Oct 14, 2016

Technology-wise, I'd go for

Cordova with Polymer's WebComponents shim
- It is platform-independent
- It uses standard/future-standard technology
- It's just plain HTML/CSS for layout and design with some JS for connectivity and interaction
@leaverou 's Blissful.JS
- light-weight DOM manipulation lib
- instead of bloated jQuery
WebSockets
- +reconnecting-websockets.js
- for signalling and TURN
WebRTC
- for STUN communication
Signal Protocol
- easy under-the-hood encryption
- used by many major chat apps, like Signal and What'sApp
Node.JS
- for signalling and TURN
- I cannot recommend any frameworks or libraries since I never made such an app
- I would probably base it on my SHPS4Node (as plugin) and add a webclient, probably with additional features which don't have space on mobile device screens

Connor McKelvey

Javascript Developer

Oct 14, 2016

I would also add Redis to the list for queueing messages while the recipient of the message is offline. And then there is the whole end to end encryption thing which is simple enough for 1 on 1 messages, but gets much more complicated for group messages.

@connorm

true, Redis is a nice addition. Though, it is "only" a memory-db, which means that if it has to be restarted at some point, or worse: there is a server failure, all stored messages will be lost. So I'd go for some other solution.

Encrypted group messaging is not complicated. When sending messages over the Signal Protocol to a group, you have to get the keybundle for every member, then you can encrypt the message with every bundle and just send it out. All messages you receive will use your keybundle, so nothing special there. Just make sure to include some reference to the group chat so the client knows where to display the message ;)

Sergio

Web Developer & curious mind

Oct 14, 2016

I'm not an expert, but i think you can go with React Native and why not, try Firebase as a backend.

You have too NativeScript that make the integration easier, and for the backend depend you want can try doing things with Symfony, Laravel, or something with Scala.

But i think for make thing easier can try with Firebase as i said. By other hand you can try Ionic, or Cordova

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How would you go about building an Instant Messaging app like Telegram?

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