Recon: Nobody in the middle.
Pick an @name and your device talks straight to theirs. No phone number, no address book upload, and no server that can read a word, even when a sealed parcel has to wait on a relay for a friend who is offline.
Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging · In development
What it does
- Direct first — Peer-to-peer connections use STUN and TURN for difficult networks. Relay is a fallback, not the default.
- Thin server — The backend handles identity, discovery and short-lived signalling. It does not store conversations.
- @names — Permanent usernames are the discovery layer. No phone number is required.
- Keys stay on device — End-to-end encryption keeps keys with you, and message history is your decision.
- Offline delivery — A short-lived encrypted parcel waits when someone is offline and disappears after delivery.
- Honest about metadata — Recon clearly states what it protects and what network metadata can still exist.
Two devices, and as little else as possible.
- Claim an @name — Discovery is a permanent username. No phone number, and no uploading your address book.
- Devices connect directly — STUN and TURN negotiate a path straight between your device and theirs, including through difficult networks.
- Relay only if the network insists — Where no direct path exists, a short-lived encrypted parcel waits and is deleted once it is delivered.
- Transport
- Peer to peer · encrypted relay fallback
- Discovery
- Permanent @names · no phone number
- Server stores
- Short-lived encrypted offline parcels
- Server cannot read
- Message content or device keys
- Status
- In development
Questions
Is it really peer to peer?
Direct whenever the network allows it. Relay is a fallback rather than the default, and the relay cannot read what passes through it.
What does the server store?
Identity, discovery and short-lived encrypted parcels for offline delivery. Not conversations, and not your keys.
Do I need a phone number?
No. An @name is the whole identity.
What metadata still exists?
Connection timing, and the fact that two accounts exchanged data, can still be observable to a network watcher. Recon says so instead of claiming otherwise.
Get Recon
Recon is in development. Builds for Android, Windows, macOS and Linux are being prepared; until then, the architecture is open for discussion.