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829e55e83b
notification_active_peers_one/_many were plain strings picked with a manual peerCount == 1 check instead of Android's <plurals> resource type, unlike every other pluralized string in this app (people_count, notification_and_more, location_notes_title). That collapses every non-English locale's plural rule onto a single "many" bucket. Concretely wrong today: Polish uses "osób" (5+, genitive plural) for every count >= 2, including 2-4 where "osoby" is required. Arabic uses plural form for count 2, where a dual form applies. Converted notification_active_peers_one/_many to a notification_active_peers_body <plurals> resource in all 34 locale files (translated text preserved verbatim, only the resource shape changed), and switched PeerAvailabilityNotifier to Resources.getQuantityString(), matching the getQuantityString(..., count, count) pattern already used for people_count. This doesn't retranslate the few/two forms Polish and Arabic still need for full correctness — that requires a native speaker — but it fixes the resource structure so those forms can be added per-locale without another code change, and stops the one/other split from being hardcoded in Kotlin. ## Testing - ./gradlew :app:compileDebugKotlin -- green - ./gradlew :app:processDebugResources -- green (all 34 edited strings.xml files parse and build under AAPT2) - ./gradlew :app:testDebugUnitTest --tests "com.bitchat.android.service.PeerAvailabilityNotifierTest" -- 7/7 pass (uses a fake TextProvider, unaffected by this change, so it wasn't already failing/passing by coincidence)
bitchat for Android
A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app with dual transport architecture: local Bluetooth mesh networks for offline communication and internet-based Nostr protocol for global reach. No accounts, no phone numbers, no central servers.
This is the Android implementation of bitchat, fully protocol-compatible with the iOS version for cross-platform mesh communication.
See it in action
| Offline mesh conversation | Geohash globe picker |
|---|---|
 |
 |
License
This project is released into the public domain. See the LICENSE file for details.
Features
- Dual Transport Architecture: Bluetooth LE mesh for offline messaging, Nostr relays for internet-based messaging
- Location-Based Channels: Geographic chat rooms using geohash coordinates over Nostr relays
- Intelligent Message Routing: Automatically chooses the best transport, with queuing and retry when a peer is unreachable
- End-to-End Encryption: Noise Protocol (XX pattern, X25519 + ChaCha20-Poly1305) for private messages over the mesh
- Decentralized Mesh Network: Automatic peer discovery and multi-hop relay over Bluetooth LE (max 7 hops)
- Wi-Fi Aware Transport: Higher-bandwidth local mesh on supported devices
- Channel Chats: Topic-based group messaging with optional password protection (Argon2id + AES-256-GCM)
- IRC-Style Commands: Familiar
/join,/msg,/whostyle interface - Tor Support: Built-in Tor (Arti) for private internet connectivity
- Emergency Wipe: Triple-tap to instantly clear all data
- Cross-Platform: Binary protocol compatible with bitchat on iOS and macOS
Technical Architecture
Bluetooth Mesh Network (Offline)
- Direct peer-to-peer within Bluetooth range, multi-hop relay through nearby devices
- Noise Protocol sessions with forward secrecy; peer identities derived from static keys
- Compact binary packet format with fragmentation, TTL routing, and deduplication
- Adaptive duty cycling and connection limits for battery efficiency
- Foreground service keeps the mesh alive within Android background execution limits
Nostr Protocol (Internet)
- Global reach via public relays, geohash-based location channels
- Private messages fall back to Nostr for mutual favorites when the mesh is unavailable
- Ephemeral keys per geohash area
Android Stack
- Kotlin, Jetpack Compose (Material 3), MVVM
- Coroutines and Flow for all networking and state
- Core components:
MeshForegroundService(persistent connectivity),BluetoothMeshService/WifiAwareMeshService(transports),UnifiedMeshService(transport selection),NoiseSessionManager(encryption sessions),MessageRouter(mesh/Nostr routing with outbox retry)
Building
Requires Android Studio and the Android SDK (API 26+).
git clone https://github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat-android.git
cd bitchat-android
./gradlew assembleDebug
Install on a connected device:
adb install -r app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
The app requests Bluetooth, location (required for BLE scanning), and notification permissions at runtime.
Release APKs and the Android App Bundle can be rebuilt byte-for-byte in the pinned Linux container. Maintainers should follow the Android release guide. See Reproducible builds for the build trust model and public GitHub/Google Play verification procedures.
Testing
# Unit tests
./gradlew test
# Lint
./gradlew lint
# Instrumented tests (requires a device or emulator)
./gradlew connectedAndroidTest
Note that BLE mesh behavior is difficult to emulate; protocol and session logic is covered by unit tests, while radio-level behavior needs real devices.