GeoChat - Real-Time Location-Based Chat

GeoChat is a simple, anonymous, real-time web chat application that connects users based on their geographic location. It's built with PHP, MySQL, and vanilla JavaScript, making it easy to deploy on standard web hosting.

Screenshot

Features

• Anonymous Chat: No registration required. Just pick a temporary username and start chatting.
• Location-Based: See and chat with other users within a configurable radius (1-50 km).
• Real-Time Communication: Uses Server-Sent Events (SSE) for instant message and user list updates.
• Private Messaging: Click on a user to start a one-on-one private conversation.
• Interactive Map: View nearby users on an interactive map powered by Leaflet.js and OpenStreetMap.
• Image Sharing: Share images directly in the chat.
• Typing Indicators: See when another user is typing a message.
• Light & Dark Mode: Automatic theme detection with a manual toggle.

Tech Stack

• Backend: PHP 8+
• Database: MySQL
• Frontend: HTML5, CSS3, Vanilla JavaScript (ES6+)
• Real-Time: Server-Sent Events (SSE)
• Mapping: Leaflet.js with OpenStreetMap

Getting Started

Follow these instructions to get a copy of the project up and running on your local machine.

Prerequisites

• A web server environment (e.g., Apache or Nginx) or a local development stack like XAMPP, MAMP, etc.
• PHP 8.2 or higher with the PDO MySQL extension enabled.
• MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.11+.

Run with Docker (Recommended)

The easiest way to run GeoChat is using Docker. This will automatically set up PHP, MySQL, and phpMyAdmin.

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ricvale/geochat.git
   cd geochat

2. Start the application:

   docker compose up -d --build

3. Access the app:

   • GeoChat: http://localhost:8080
   • phpMyAdmin: http://localhost:8081

Note: The database is automatically initialized and configured on the first run.

Manual Installation

Follow these instructions if you prefer to set up the project manually on a local server like XAMPP, MAMP, etc.

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ricvale/geochat.git
   cd geochat

2. Create the database:

   • Create a new database named geo_chat.
   • Import the schema from includes/database.sql.

3. Configure the application:

   • Copy includes/config.example.php to includes/config.php.
   • Update the database credentials to match your local environment.

4. Set up the web server:

   • Point your web server's document root to the project directory.
   • Open the application in your browser.

License

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