Questions that are asked frequently

Why does this site seem incomplete?

Project.im is a work in progress, launched Autumn 2018. We will keep improving content and responding to user feedback as we evolve.

What is Project.im?

Project.im is a cross-platform messaging platform which does not lock the user in to any particular application or closed group. It consists of a web-based interface and also enables users to run an app of their choice on their desktop and mobile device.

What is Open Source Chat?

By using open source and open standards, users of Project.im can communicate with users on any other open XMPP platform in the same way that every email user can email every other email user.

How Can I use it?

See the getting started guide.

Which desktop, mobile or web XMPP clients can I use?

Applications are available for almost all operating systems. Use your favourite search engine to look for XMPP or Jabber clients that work on your computer. We have created a growing list of XMPP client applications here.

What technologies and extensions this project uses

The underlying technology used is XMPP "The most secure messaging standard Battle-tested. Independent. Privacy-focused." Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is an open XML technology for real-time communication, which powers a wide range of applications including instant messaging, presence and collaboration.

What about privacy?

The intent of Project.in is to respect your privacy and put you in control. We have to store ome of our data as long as you are a registered user in order to provide the service. The type of data we store is:

  • Account handle / Username
  • Hash and salt of password
  • Email address
  • Last login IP address
  • Timestamp of last login and logout
  • User roster list and vCard

We maintain your data for various amount of time. The following list is a comprehensive list of the duration data is being saved on our servers

  • Accounts are persisted indefinitely provided that they are actively used within a 6/12 month period
  • Any files uploaded using mod_http_upload (XEP-0363) are retained for an hour
  • Text uploaded the the XMPP pastebin is retained for 24 hours, at which point the paste will expire
  • Message logs are not retained, however offline messages will be held in memory until they can be delivered (or the server restarts)

What are the alternatives?

There are many Instant Message solutions, some are open, others are closed 'walled gardens'. A key consideration for selecting a provider is usually based on where the people are that you want to connect to.

  • Slack Proprietary XMPP-based messenger system
  • Whatsapp Proprietary XMPP-based messenger system

Who is behind project.im?

Project.im is an OpusVL initiative. OpusVL is a UK-based professional open source developer and integrator and you can find more details on the OpusVL website.

This is a Beta release.