# hack-chat/main

a minimal, distraction-free chat application

Repository: https://github.com/hack-chat/main
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/main
Homepage: https://hack.chat/
Language: JavaScript
License Family: other
Topics: anonymous, chat, javascript, nodejs, websockets
Last push: 2026-01-15T19:06:07+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 60/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 62, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3098, "days_push": 230, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1443, forks 246 (observed 2026-08-28T04:04:44.822039+00:00)

## What it is
hack.chat is a minimal, accountless, logless chat service with disappearing messages, built on Node.js and WebSockets. It can be self-hosted easily and its client bundles KaTeX rendering and highlight.js syntax highlighting.

## Use cases
- run a private anonymous chat server
- host a distraction-free chat with no accounts or logs
- self-host a lightweight websocket chat app
- create throwaway chat rooms with disappearing messages
- chat with LaTeX and code highlighting support

## When to choose
- you need a minimal, privacy-focused chat with no user accounts
- you want an easily deployable self-hosted chat server
- you prefer ephemeral, logless conversations

## When to avoid
- you need persistent message history or media sharing
- you need enterprise features like moderation, encryption guarantees, or federation
- you require a mobile-native chat experience out of the box

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: websocket, chat-interface, http-server, self-hosted
- domain: messaging-platforms, web-development, privacy, self-hosted
- platform: self-hosted, cross-platform
- tags: anonymous-chat, logless, disappearing-messages, katex, syntax-highlighting, real-time-chat, nodejs, web-server

## Member repositories
- hack-chat/main (main) score 60

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:44.822039+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T04:36:20.827171+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/hack-chat/main (fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:44.822039+00:00, sha 192be859ef70)
  - homepage: https://hack.chat/ (fetched 2026-08-29T11:46:46.000951+00:00, sha 64d955f1df89)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.