# qTox/qTox

qTox is a chat, voice, video, and file transfer IM client using the encrypted peer-to-peer Tox protocol.

Repository: https://github.com/qTox/qTox
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/qtox
Homepage: https://qtox.github.io/
Language: C++
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: qtox, tox, c-plus-plus, qt, p2p, encryption, distributed, voip, audio, video, messaging, privacy, communication
Archived: true
Last push: 2025-02-16T14:21:41+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 10/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 7, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4453, "days_push": 563, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: archived
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 4978, forks 1103 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:04.127833+00:00)

## What it is
qTox is a cross-platform instant messaging desktop client supporting encrypted text chat, voice and video calls, and file transfer over the peer-to-peer Tox protocol. This original repository is unmaintained; development continues at the TokTok/qTox fork.

## Use cases
- encrypted instant messaging without central servers
- make private voice and video calls
- send files securely peer-to-peer
- privacy-focused alternative to proprietary messengers
- chat without phone number or account registration
- decentralized messaging resistant to surveillance

## When to choose
- you want serverless, end-to-end encrypted messaging with no central authority
- you need free voice/video calls and file transfer in one client
- you prefer open-source software with no ads or paid features

## When to avoid
- you need ongoing updates or bug fixes - this repo is unmaintained; use the TokTok/qTox fork instead
- you need mobile clients or web access
- you require features like group chats at scale, message history sync, or federation with other protocols

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: abandoned
- function: chat-interface, cryptography, p2p, audio-processing, video-processing, file-upload
- domain: privacy, messaging-platforms, security, cross-platform
- platform: windows, bsd, cross-platform
- tags: tox-protocol, instant-messaging, voip, end-to-end-encryption, qt, c-plus-plus, decentralized, unmaintained, linux, macos, desktop

## Member repositories
- qTox/qTox (main) score 10

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:04.127833+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 2026-08-29T18:17:43.580622+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/qTox/qTox (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:04.127833+00:00, sha 1c454b28747c)
  - homepage: https://qtox.github.io/ (fetched 2026-08-29T08:58:53.731945+00:00, sha 1d9d1c02a9a8)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.