CLI client

The rChat CLI client provides full-featured end-to-end encrypted messaging from the terminal. A TUI (terminal user interface) version is also available for a more visual experience.

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Prerequisites

• A running rChat server (see Server Quick Start)
• The server WebSocket address (e.g. wss://your-server.com)

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Installation

Download the binary for your platform:

# macOS Universal
curl -LO https://github.com/PDG-Global/rchat/releases/latest/download/rchat-cli-macos-universal
chmod +x rchat-cli-macos-universal
sudo mv rchat-cli-macos-universal /usr/local/bin/rchat-cli

# Linux x86_64
curl -LO https://github.com/PDG-Global/rchat/releases/latest/download/rchat-cli-x86_64-linux-gnu
chmod +x rchat-cli-x86_64-linux-gnu
sudo mv rchat-cli-x86_64-linux-gnu /usr/local/bin/rchat-cli

# Linux ARM64
curl -LO https://github.com/PDG-Global/rchat/releases/latest/download/rchat-cli-aarch64-linux-gnu
chmod +x rchat-cli-aarch64-linux-gnu
sudo mv rchat-cli-aarch64-linux-gnu /usr/local/bin/rchat-cli

# FreeBSD x86_64
fetch https://github.com/PDG-Global/rchat/releases/latest/download/rchat-cli-x86_64-freebsd
chmod +x rchat-cli-x86_64-freebsd
sudo mv rchat-cli-x86_64-freebsd /usr/local/bin/rchat-cli

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Quick start

1. Generate your identity key

rchat-cli keygen

This creates an Ed25519 identity key pair stored in ~/.config/rchat/identity.key. The private key never leaves this file.

2. Connect

rchat-cli --server wss://your-server.com

The client will connect, publish your public key, and present an interactive prompt.

3. Start a conversation

/chat <contact-identity-key>

The client performs the X3DH handshake automatically. Once established, type messages and press Enter to send.

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Commands

Command	Description
/chat <key>	Start a conversation with a contact
/contacts	List known contacts
/status	Show connection status
/quit	Exit the client

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TUI version

For a richer terminal experience with a sidebar, message history, and contact list:

rchat-cli-tui --server wss://your-server.com

Navigation:

• Tab — Switch between contact list and message pane
• ↑ / ↓ — Navigate contacts or message history
• Enter — Send message
• q — Quit

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Configuration file

Create ~/.config/rchat/client.toml to avoid passing flags:

server = "wss://your-server.com"
identity_key = "~/.config/rchat/identity.key"
log_level = "info"

Then simply run:

rchat-cli

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Troubleshooting

“Connection refused”

• Verify the server is running
• Check the server address includes wss:// (not ws:// or https://)
• Ensure port 443 is open on the server

“TLS handshake failed”

• Verify the server’s TLS certificate is valid and not expired
• Check that the hostname in the server address matches the certificate

“Identity key not found”

• Run rchat-cli keygen first
• Or specify the path with --identity-key

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For more troubleshooting help, see the Troubleshooting Guide.