Chat-tails: A Retro Terminal Chat Tool for Secure Messaging via Tailscale

Chat-tails is a retro terminal chat tool built on Tailscale technology, created by developer Brian Scott to provide a secure gaming chat space for his children. The project features a minimalist IRC-like interface, enabling chat functionality through the terminal. All messages are temporarily stored and cannot be searched, lacking modern chat app features like voice, plugins, or images. Chat-tails offers two operation modes: regular mode requires port forwarding on the local network; Tailscale mode connects to the Tailscale network via an auth key, allowing any device on the network to access the chat room using telnet or nc commands. Developed in Go, the project combines the tsnet networking library and bubbletea terminal UI library, easily running on single-board computers like Raspberry Pi. Chat-tails not only provides users with a secure, private chat environment but also serves as an educational tool for learning fundamental technologies like VPN, SSH, and terminal operations, showcasing the perfect fusion of retro technology and modern networking.