GoChat: Real-Time Chat Application

GoChat is a real-time chat application developed using a modern tech stack featuring Go+Templ+HTMX+Alpine.js+TailwindCss, and WebSockets. This project showcases a scalable, interactive chat system with efficient server-side rendering and dynamic front-end updates.

Features

• Real-Time Messaging: Leveraging WebSockets for instantaneous, bidirectional communication.
• Dynamic Content Updates: Using HTMX to seamlessly update parts of the web page without full reloads.
• Reactive UI: Enhanced with Alpine.js for minimal overhead and a smooth user experience.
• Server-Side Templating: Implementing Templ to render dynamic content server-side.
• Responsive Design: Styled with Tailwind CSS for a modern, responsive interface.
• Rate Limiting: Protects against spam with configurable message rate limits.

Tech Stack

• Go: Backend development for a robust and efficient server-side experience.
• Templ: A templating engine for Go, simplifying dynamic content rendering.
• HTMX: For AJAX requests and dynamic content updates without page reloads.
• Alpine.js: A minimal JavaScript framework to add interactivity with ease.
• WebSockets: Provides real-time messaging capabilities.
• Tailwind CSS: A utility-first CSS framework for designing custom, responsive interfaces.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Go (version 1.18 or higher)
• A web browser

Installation

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/NikoMalik/GoChat

2. Install Dependencies:

   go install github.com/air-verse/air@latest
   go install github.com/a-h/templ/cmd/templ@latest
   npm install
   
   

3. Run the Application:

   You will need to open three terminals to run different tasks:

   • Terminal 1: Watch for Templ

     make templWatch

   • Terminal 2: Run the Go server

     air

   • Terminal 3: Build Tailwind CSS

     make tailwind

4. Open Your Browser:

   Visit http://localhost:8000 to access GoChat.

Usage

• Chat with Others: Enter your username and start sending messages in real-time.
• View Online Users: See who is online and engage with them directly.
• Rate Limiting: Prevents abuse by enforcing message limits.

Contributing

We welcome contributions to improve GoChat! To contribute:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch (git checkout -b your-feature).
3. Make your changes.
4. git add .
5. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add new feature').
6. Push to the branch (git push origin your-feature).
7. Open a Pull Request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.