YakApp Chat | YAKMESH Documentation

What is YakApp?

YakApp is the primary application built on the yakmesh protocol stack. It is a fully decentralized, post-quantum encrypted messenger that handles text, voice, video, file sharing, and streaming — all peer-to-peer with zero reliance on central servers.

Where other messengers route your data through corporate infrastructure, YakApp connects users directly through the yakmesh mesh network. Every message is encrypted with ML-KEM-768, every identity is verified via DOKO certificates, and every room exists on the mesh — not on someone else's server.

Built on the Full Stack

YakApp is the reference application that exercises every layer of the yakmesh protocol stack:

Protocol	YakApp Feature
ANNEX	Post-quantum encrypted connections between all peers
NAKPAK	Onion-routed messages for metadata privacy
NAMCHE	Identity gateway — login, verification, key exchange
DOKO	User identity certificates, trustable contact cards
SHERPA	Finding peers and available rooms on the mesh
YURT	Room creation, discovery, and management
GUMBA	Role-based access control for rooms and channels
KATHA	Rich text messaging — reactions, threads, editing, formatting
VANI	Voice and video calls, screen sharing
DARSHAN	View-not-copy content streaming for sensitive media
STUPA	Distributed file storage for attachments and media
KARMA	User reputation and trust scoring
DHARMA	Content moderation without central authority
MANI	Synchronized timestamps across all messages

Core Features

Text Chat

Rich formatting (Markdown, code blocks)
Message reactions and emoji
Threaded replies
Edit and delete with mesh propagation
Read receipts via MANTRA gossip

Voice & Video

P2P voice calls (VANI protocol)
Group video conferencing
Screen sharing
Noise cancellation
Adaptive bitrate for mesh conditions

File Sharing

Drag-and-drop file transfer
Chunked via STUPA distributed storage
Resume interrupted transfers
View-not-copy mode via DARSHAN
Automatic thumbnail generation

Rooms

Public, private, and invite-only rooms
Decentralized discovery via YURT
Role-based permissions (GUMBA)
Sub-channels and topics
Room federation across mesh regions

Security Model

YakApp is post-quantum secure by default. There are no settings to weaken, no "optional encryption" toggles. Every conversation is protected from day one:

Key Exchange — ML-KEM-768 (ANNEX) establishes shared secrets resistant to quantum computers
Message Encryption — AES-256-GCM for every message, derived from the ML-KEM session key
Identity Verification — DOKO certificates bind public keys to user identities
Metadata Privacy — NAKPAK onion routing hides who is talking to whom
Forward Secrecy — Session keys are rotated; compromising one key doesn't expose past messages
No Server Trust — No central server holds keys, metadata, or message history

Architecture

YakApp runs as a local application connecting directly to the yakmesh mesh:

# YakApp architecture
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  YakApp UI                  │
│  (React + Electron / Browser / Mobile)      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│              Application Layer              │
│  KATHA (chat) │ VANI (calls) │ DARSHAN (AV) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│               Room Management               │
│     YURT (rooms) │ GUMBA (access control)   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│               Network Layer                 │
│  MANDALA (topology) │ MANTRA (gossip)       │
│  SHERPA (discovery) │ MANI (time sync)      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│               Security Layer                │
│  ANNEX (encryption) │ NAKPAK (onion route)  │
│  DOKO (identity)    │ NAMCHE (gateway)      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│     YAK:// Protocol │ Local yakmesh node    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Quick Start

import { YakApp } from 'yakapp';
import { YakmeshNode } from 'yakmesh';

// Start a yakmesh node
const node = await YakmeshNode.create({
  identity: './my-identity.doko',
  meshPort: 4200
});

// Launch YakApp on top of the node
const app = new YakApp(node);

// Join a room
const room = await app.joinRoom('yak://mesh/rooms/general');

// Send a message
await room.send('Hello from YakApp! 🐃');

// Start a voice call
const call = await room.startCall({ video: false });

// Share a file
await room.shareFile('./document.pdf', {
  mode: 'darshan'  // view-not-copy
});

How YakApp Compares

Feature	YakApp	Signal	Discord	Matrix
Architecture	P2P mesh	Central server	Central server	Federated
Post-quantum	ML-KEM-768	PQXDH (partial)	No	No
Metadata privacy	Onion routing	Sealed sender	None	Limited
Server required	No	Yes	Yes	Yes (homeserver)
Voice/Video	P2P (VANI)	Via relay	Via server	Via Jitsi/relay
File sharing	Distributed (STUPA)	Server upload	Server upload	Server upload
View-not-copy	DARSHAN	No	No	No

Extensions

YakApp's core messaging can be extended with additional yakmesh modules:

Version History

Version	Changes
v3.0.0	YakApp documentation page. Full protocol stack integration documented — ANNEX encryption, KATHA chat, VANI calls, YURT rooms, DARSHAN streaming, STUPA storage, KARMA reputation, DHARMA moderation.

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