Chatto is now open source
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Chatto, a self-hosted group chat app, is now open source.
Chatto 0.4 is a compact, self-hosted group chat application with voice/video calls, end-to-end encryption, and per-user encrypted data at rest. It runs as a single binary using NATS/Jetstream and LiveKit, with support for S3 file storage. Chatto Cloud (paid hosting, European infrastructure) will enter public beta soon. The developer aims for version 1.0 in 6-12 months.
Self-hosting is free via Homebrew or direct binary downloads for Linux, macOS, and Windows. No federation or third-party analytics is included. The roadmap includes content moderation and multi-server client polish.
What commenters are saying
Commenters generally praised Chatto's design, performance, and ease of self-hosting, with several calling it a viable Slack/Discord alternative. Many appreciated the use of NATS and the developer's guidance on deployment. Some noted the lack of native mobile and desktop apps (though a Tauri wrapper exists). A few users expressed skepticism about the use of AI-assisted coding, questioning the project's originality and ethical stance. Others countered that the developer has decades of experience and used AI as a productivity tool, not a crutch. Pro-tips included deploying on Hetzner for affordability and using the PWA for desktop convenience.