This project is a secure, UDP-based chat client developed in Python. It features a graphical user interface (GUI) built using customtkinter and supports encrypted communication using an adapted WireGuard-like protocol. The application follows a modular architecture that separates encryption, networking, and user interface components, ensuring clarity, maintainability, and reusability.
The system is composed of four main modules:
- Encryption: Implements core cryptographic operations such as AEAD encryption, MACs, hashing, key exchange (Diffie-Hellman), and WireGuard-style handshake logic.
- Encryption Manager: Manages the session lifecycle, including handshakes, transport key derivation, and secure message encryption/decryption.
- Chat Client: Handles all UDP networking logic, message construction, request handling, and background listening.
- GUI: Built with
customtkinter, this module presents the user interface and handles all user interactions. It communicates with the client and encryption modules but does not manage networking or security directly.
The application implements all core chat commands required by the specification:
/CONNECT,/DISCONNECT,/PING/SET_USERNAMEto dynamically change usernames/USER_LISTand/CHANNEL_LISTwith offset-based pagination/CHANNEL_CREATE,/CHANNEL_JOIN,/CHANNEL_LEAVE/CHANNEL_MESSAGEand/USER_MESSAGE/WHOISand/WHOAMI
Additional features include:
- Offset-based pagination (20 users, 10 channels per page) with "Next" and "Previous" buttons
- Full support for request/response formatting and message parsing
- Context-aware feedback and timestamped chat messages
The encryption system adapts the WireGuard protocol for secure messaging:
- Each client and server maintains a pair of static and ephemeral keys.
- Handshake logic involves an initiation and response phase to derive shared session keys.
- Key derivation is performed using a combination of static/ephemeral keys and a KDF.
- Once the handshake is complete, encrypted messages are exchanged over UDP using the derived session keys.
- Clean separation between user list, channel list, and central chat area
- Interactive listboxes for user/channel selection
- Tooltips and well-labeled buttons for ease of use
- Dark Mode for user comfort
- Auto-/HELP command listing
- Clear Chat feature to declutter the interface
- Command Autocomplete using
TAB - Clickable usernames to prefill direct message inputs
- Distinct error and success notifications
- Clear separation of concerns across encryption, networking, and UI
- Modular and testable design
- Robust exception handling in networking threads
- Descriptive function names and meaningful comments
- Julyan van der Westhuizen (VWSJUL003)
- Keegan O’Brien (OBRKEE001)
- Angelo Yang (YNGANG003)
- Clone the repository and navigate to the root directory
- Run
python chatClientGUI.py
Note: Ensure that your version of python has cutomtkinter installed / install customtkinter Note: At the time of writing, the corresponding chat server is up and running - this might not always be the case (so this chat client might end up having nothing to connect to)