Launch: ChatOrbit — A Peer-to-Peer Messaging Platform for Privacy-First Communication

ChatOrbit™ is a new peer-to-peer messaging and calling platform built on WebRTC, designed to remove intermediaries from online communication. It’s a project by er400.io, an open-source group focused on IBM i and modern infrastructure tools.

Unlike typical chat apps, ChatOrbit™ doesn’t rely on central servers or user registration. Every session is a direct, encrypted WebRTC connection between peers — no data retention, no tracking, no analytics. Once the connection closes, nothing remains.

The goal isn’t to build another social network. It’s to prove that real-time communication can exist without surveillance capitalism — that privacy, openness, and usability can coexist in a single stack.

“Open source is about transparency and empowerment,” says the developer behind ChatOrbit™. “But we’ve lost sight of privacy in exchange for convenience. ChatOrbit™ is my small attempt to rebalance that.”

Tech details:

• Built with WebRTC for peer-to-peer connections (STUN/TURN support)
• Lightweight FastAPI backend for signaling only
• No account creation, no database writes
• Runs in browser or mobile view (Next.js frontend)
• Licensed under MIT, currently in public beta

You can test it live at chatorbit.com