How to build a secure chat app like whatsapp, wechat & viber?
Over the years, communication has been a significant role in changing the way we communicate. Considering the big players in the communication market (WhatsApp, WeChat, Viber) have already reached the position of transmitting messages of around 3,800M (messages) for a month, even no wonder that there will be about 25.2 trillion messages will be sent in the forthcoming years. Though the market volume is enormous and there is still enough space for newcomers to acquire the treasure from this lucrative business.
There lies a different story in building a successful chat app like Whatsapp, Viber, WeChat etc., So what makes these big players more popular than the other chat applications? It’s a sublime feature? technologies? high-end security?
Well, that’s where Whatsapp has covered it all in one segment.
Sounds Great? Now, let us dive deeper into the building blocks of every successful chat app like Whatsapp, Viber, WeChat which has been the notable factor in popularizing its worth.
The Noteworthy Technologies of the World’s Most Popular Chat Applications
WhatsApp Technology Stack:
1. Erlang
Stands out as the rarest scripting language behind the success of WhatsApp. The expressive language helps to build messaging apps with many concurrent users with zero tolerance on downtime.
2. FreeBSD
The operating system used to withhold the millions of messages sent over the platform every day. It compiles great network stacks, reliability and possesses straightforward in managing the FreeBSD installation.
3. YAWS
A high-performance web server which is well suited for huge dynamic-content transfer for web applications. It works with any database as of your choice and consist of two modes namely Standalone & Embedded.
4. Lighttpd
An open-source lightweight web server used in WhatsApp for serving larger loads while using less memory than the other servers and deployed during high traffic loads.
5. PHP
The server-side scripting language helps to perform higher and faster than all other scripting languages. WhatsApp uses PHP due to its platform independent and high number of libraries.
6. XMPP
WhatsApp uses XMPP protocol to provide a real-time exchange of structured data between the two or more networks written in Ejabberd.
WeChat Technology Stack:
1. Erlang
WeChat’s huge active users base is managed by the functional programming language and the backend message routing is done in Erlang.
2. Database
SQLCipher, EnMicroMsg are the primary Database used to encrypt and decrypt the files relayed in WeChat.
3. Protocols
WeChat utilizes the secure version of HTTPS to encrypt the data sent between the browser and WeChat servers.
Viber Technology Stack:
1. Database
Viber uses MongoDB as its primary database which provides slots to store the data and secure the chatting within the application and enhances the performance range.
2. SIP
Viber uses Session Initiation Protocol as its major technology to make phone calls to anyone over the internet through Viber.
3. Nginx
As a load balancer & web server, Viber is implemented with high performing HTTP server to configure the server performance & stability.
Apart from the technologies that have been the key efficient role in popularizing these chat applications, there are certain essentials that rival with your own chat application. Some of the better possible ways to build your chat app like Whatsapp, WeChat, Viber.
Understanding the Key Importance in Choosing the Right Component to Build a Chat App Like WhatsApp, Viber & WeChat
1. Servers Availability
In order to develop a multi-grade chat app, it’s much essential to take a note on real-time communication servers such as Ejabberd. Make sure on picking the ideal protocols that focus on seamless one-to-one, & group chat functionality. This stands as the foundation and presenting the performance of your entire application that runs on cross-platform.
2. Protocol Independent
Enhancing the instant data exchange between the apps and servers are the promises you obtain from real-time communication protocols. There is a wide range of protocols available for every messaging landscape such as MQTT, WebSockets-BOSH, XMPP, Long polling & COMET. All these protocols encompass a better performance and easily adapt to any of the chat business models.
3. Frameworks
Each chat application is developed for different functionality, so as the frameworks do. It’s much important to choose the frameworks such as (React, Xamarin, Python, Objective-C, Java, .NET, Erlang, Cocoa) that extends the possibility of chat application on all platforms (Android, iOS & Web). To create a chat app like WhatsApp with utilizing the different frameworks, it’s better to choose the framework having high library standards and supports from different channels.
4. Security
Choosing the right security deserves a sublime chat application with high secure of chat possibility. The security market is high as per its demands where a security layer like end-to-end encryption, AES, HIPAA, HMAC ensures the messages carried between servers and chat app is completely shielded. Opting for the right security is primary, but ensuring it’s security functionality that adapts to your chat application is significant.
Choosing the Ideal Hosting Capabilities has its own Effectiveness of the Chat App
There is a diverse set of opportunities to build similar chat app like WhatsApp with the source of real-time messaging SDKs and chat APIs but the complexity in choosing the right hosting possibility exists unanswered. Let us get into a detailed differentiation in choosing between on-premises (self-hosted) or hosted SaaS service.
Self-hosted (On-premises) Vs Hosted Chat Application Possibility
Hosted service is a complete SaaS based chat application where the entire conversation taking place between the chat app and servers are under the third-party services. The Saas-based chat applications provide the source code which can’t be customized to the needs of your business solution. Whereas the self-hosted option provides everything you need to customize the chat application.
The Major pitfall of the chat hosted service, where the developers and enterprises don’t have the access or complete control over the chat source code, configuration of the features & customizations. Moreover, self-hosted service offers end-to-end accessibility and control to customize the chat functionalities and features that adapt to your business needs. Self-hosted messaging service stands upfront for enterprises and individuals to build a chat app like WhatsApp that perceives the great number of popularity in the market.
Whom Should You Consider To Build A Chat App like WhatsApp under Self-hosted Chat Solution?
Mirrorfly, the only chat solution that provides self-hosting of chat application with complete access and control over the source code. The chat solution is built with enriched features that adapt to any sort of business purpose.
What makes Mirrorfly stand out from the crowd?
Getting into the actual point, how Mirrorfly assists to build a chat app like WhatsApp, Viber, WeChat. Mirrorfly has a team of in-house coding ninjas who urge to build your chat application with sublime features & high-end technologies that propels its performance beyond the expectations.
Mirrorfly offers WebRTC integration to create a instant messaging app like WhatsApp with voice & video calling feature. The WebRTC signaling also creates an opportunity for enterprise and individuals to make a peer-to-peer connection between the users within the chat application in a secure medium. This also diminishes the pay-as-you-go concepts where you get an unlimited voice call possibility with Mirrorfly’s voice call API.
To ensure the connectivity and the data relayed between the servers are secure and safeguarded from traffic hackers. In order to strengthen the end-users connection, Mirrorfly is inbuilt with end-to-end encryption and AES security layers.
Additionally, Mirrorfly provides feature-enriched messaging SDKs and chat APIs to customize your chat application to any extent of the communication demands. The monetization strategies Mirrorfly chat solution brings out to the market are quite first of its kind, Advertising, Paid stickers, online payment integration, sponsored stickers, content merchandising, and subscription.
Last Minute Observations
In a diverse spectrum of directions, we see real-time chat apps holds the future of communication possibilities. Now it’s the turn for newcomers and aspiring enterprises to build a chat app like WhatsApp with focusing on new features and functionalities that overhauls the other messaging applications. Well, you know great products are not built overnight but a clear idea decision making ignites the business value of every chat application. Now you are much enlightened with the secret behind WhatsApp’s success and to create a chat app similar to WhatsApp and the availability of features more than WhatsApp.
