toxcore/README.md

![Project Tox](https://raw.github.com/TokTok/toxcore/master/other/tox.png "Project Tox")
***

**Current build status:** [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/TokTok/toxcore.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/TokTok/toxcore)
**Current Coverage:** [![Coverage Status](https://coveralls.io/repos/github/TokTok/toxcore/badge.svg?branch=master)](https://coveralls.io/github/TokTok/toxcore?branch=master)

[**Website**](https://tox.chat) **|** [**Wiki**](https://wiki.tox.chat/) **|** [**Blog**](https://blog.tox.chat/) **|** [**FAQ**](https://wiki.tox.chat/doku.php?id=users:faq) **|** [**Binaries/Downloads**](https://wiki.tox.chat/Binaries) **|** [**Clients**](https://wiki.tox.chat/doku.php?id=clients) **|** [**Compiling**](/INSTALL.md)

**IRC Channels:** [#tox@freenode](https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=tox), [#toktok@freenode](https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=toktok)

## Q&A:

### What is Tox?

Tox is a fully encrypted, censor resistant, private, distributed network library with a focus on personal communications.

### No, really, what's Tox?

It's a VERY secure Instant Messenger that supports Text, Audio/Video calls, group chats, audio group chats, and file transfers.

### What are your goals with Tox?

We want Tox to be as simple as possible while remaining as secure as possible.

## Toxcore Roadmap
This Roadmap is somewhat tentative, but should give you a good idea of where
we're going, and where we've been.

Currently unsorted, the following is intended to function as a discussion guide
to developers/contributors.

### In Progress
- [ ] 100% unit testing
- [ ] Make toxcore stateless
- [ ] Allow a single toxcore instance to handle multiple keypairs
- [ ] Implement usable group chats
- [ ] Improve A/V implementation
- [ ] Multiple device support
- [ ] Consistent naming scheme throughout toxcore

### Done
- [X] Create Toxcore
- [X] Create DHT
- [X] Create Onion
- [X] Implement Crypto
- [X] Create Messenger

## Documentation:
- [Compiling](/INSTALL.md)
- [DHT Protocol](/docs/updates/DHT.md)<br />
- [Crypto](/docs/updates/Crypto.md)<br />

## The Complex Stuff:
### UDP vs. TCP
Tox must use UDP simply because [hole punching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UDP_hole_punching) with TCP is not as reliable.
However, Tox does use [TCP relays](/docs/TCP_Network.txt) as a fallback if it encounters a firewall that prevents UDP hole punching.

### Connecting & Communicating
Every peer is represented as a [byte string](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_(computer_science)) (the public key [Tox ID] of the peer). By using torrent-style DHT, peers can find the IP of other peers by using their Tox ID. Once the IP is obtained, peers can initiate a [secure](/docs/updates/Crypto.md) connection with each other. Once the connection is made, peers can exchange messages, send files, start video chats, etc. using encrypted communications.
Do the coverage thing too... 2016-07-12 05:19:11 +08:00			`![Project Tox](https://raw.github.com/TokTok/toxcore/master/other/tox.png "Project Tox")`
Organize the Readme 2014-03-15 05:22:22 +08:00			`***`
Add Travis-CI status image 2013-07-09 05:13:29 +08:00
Change and move Bulid status icon 2016-07-12 04:56:50 +08:00			`Current build status: [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/TokTok/toxcore.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/TokTok/toxcore)`
minor fixes to main readme Requested, suggested 2016-07-12 17:11:01 +08:00			`Current Coverage: [![Coverage Status](https://coveralls.io/repos/github/TokTok/toxcore/badge.svg?branch=master)](https://coveralls.io/github/TokTok/toxcore?branch=master)`
Change and move Bulid status icon 2016-07-12 04:56:50 +08:00
Editing some README phrasing, IRC channels on new line 2015-10-02 12:38:15 +08:00			`[Website](https://tox.chat) \| [Wiki](https://wiki.tox.chat/) \| [Blog](https://blog.tox.chat/) \| [FAQ](https://wiki.tox.chat/doku.php?id=users:faq) \| [Binaries/Downloads](https://wiki.tox.chat/Binaries) \| [Clients](https://wiki.tox.chat/doku.php?id=clients) \| [Compiling](/INSTALL.md)`

minor fixes to main readme Requested, suggested 2016-07-12 17:11:01 +08:00			`IRC Channels: [#tox@freenode](https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=tox), [#toktok@freenode](https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=toktok)`
Added IRC. 2013-06-24 08:42:35 +08:00
Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 05:18:40 +08:00			`## Q&A:`
Update README.md 2013-06-24 08:15:33 +08:00
Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 05:18:40 +08:00			`### What is Tox?`
Update README.md 2013-06-24 08:15:33 +08:00
Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 05:18:40 +08:00			`Tox is a fully encrypted, censor resistant, private, distributed network library with a focus on personal communications.`
Update README.md Added several links to closely related repo's 2013-07-24 07:00:02 +08:00
Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 05:18:40 +08:00			`### No, really, what's Tox?`
Update readme; I'm vain like that. 2013-07-19 10:32:28 +08:00
Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 05:18:40 +08:00			`It's a VERY secure Instant Messenger that supports Text, Audio/Video calls, group chats, audio group chats, and file transfers.`
Organize the Readme 2014-03-15 05:22:22 +08:00
readme.md: "goals of tox" -> "goals with tox" 2014-10-08 07:14:31 +08:00			`### What are your goals with Tox?`
Organize the Readme 2014-03-15 05:22:22 +08:00
			`We want Tox to be as simple as possible while remaining as secure as possible.`

Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 05:18:40 +08:00			`## Toxcore Roadmap`
			`This Roadmap is somewhat tentative, but should give you a good idea of where`
			`we're going, and where we've been.`

			`Currently unsorted, the following is intended to function as a discussion guide`
			`to developers/contributors.`

			`### In Progress`
			`- [ ] 100% unit testing`
			`- [ ] Make toxcore stateless`
			`- [ ] Allow a single toxcore instance to handle multiple keypairs`
			`- [ ] Implement usable group chats`
			`- [ ] Improve A/V implementation`
			`- [ ] Multiple device support`
			`- [ ] Consistent naming scheme throughout toxcore`

			`### Done`
			`- [X] Create Toxcore`
			`- [X] Create DHT`
			`- [X] Create Onion`
			`- [X] Implement Crypto`
			`- [X] Create Messenger`
Fixed one possible bug in the DHT and added a basic TODO list. Fixed a possible segfault which could have been cause by handling an empty packet. 2013-06-26 05:16:45 +08:00
Organize the Readme 2014-03-15 05:22:22 +08:00			`## Documentation:`
People are getting confused... 2014-07-10 05:37:46 +08:00			`- [Compiling](/INSTALL.md)`
Update readme 2014-08-06 03:20:01 +08:00			`- [DHT Protocol](/docs/updates/DHT.md)<br />`
			`- [Crypto](/docs/updates/Crypto.md)<br />`
Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 05:18:40 +08:00
			`## The Complex Stuff:`
			`### UDP vs. TCP`
			`Tox must use UDP simply because [hole punching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UDP_hole_punching) with TCP is not as reliable.`
			`However, Tox does use [TCP relays](/docs/TCP_Network.txt) as a fallback if it encounters a firewall that prevents UDP hole punching.`

			`### Connecting & Communicating`
			`Every peer is represented as a [byte string](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_(computer_science)) (the public key [Tox ID] of the peer). By using torrent-style DHT, peers can find the IP of other peers by using their Tox ID. Once the IP is obtained, peers can initiate a [secure](/docs/updates/Crypto.md) connection with each other. Once the connection is made, peers can exchange messages, send files, start video chats, etc. using encrypted communications.`