Peer-to-peer first
Discovers peers on the local network over UDP and sends directly when an address is known.
Mesh-first messenger
Reliability, resilience, security.
Iskra is a messenger that combines client–server and mesh approaches: you can switch between them or use them together. You can run several servers, deployed on Windows or Linux. The messenger itself is cross-platform: Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
View the code
Branch dev/0.1
Lena
2 hops · UDP
Can you hear me over the mesh?
Spark received.
What it does
Mesh (and/or) server
Short mesh
If there is no direct route, Iskra searches a small graph — one to three hops — and may relay through nodes it already trusts.
BLE, when it helps
Bluetooth Low Energy can carry the same encrypted sessions over radio.
Opaque on the server
The optional HTTPS server stores ciphertext only. It forwards blobs, receipts, and presence. It does not read chats.
Local-first account
Registration and chats live on the device. Add people with a QR code. No data such as a phone number, email, or similar is required for identification.
Cross-platform
The messenger runs on Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. Servers can be deployed on Windows or Linux.
How a message travels
Four ways a spark can move.
01
Direct
Last known UDP address, same LAN, or a scanned QR peer.
02
Relay
A short chain of nodes (max 1–3 hops) strips and forwards the packet.
03
BLE
Bluetooth Low Energy transport for the same session when radio range beats the network.
04
Store-and-forward
If nobody is reachable, the server keeps the sealed payload until the other side polls.
Platforms
Available on these platforms
W
Windows
Client. You can also host a server here.
L
Linux
Client. You can also host a server here.
A
Android
Client.
i
iOS
Client.
Source
Iskra is the product. ShortP2P is the protocol.
The MAUI app lives in Iskra.MAUI. Mesh, crypto, discovery, and the optional messenger server live in the ShortP2P tree. This site is a landing draft for branch 0.1 — not a shipping announcement.