OpChan

A decentralized forum application built as a Proof of Concept for a Waku-powered discussion platform. OpChan enables users to create "cells" (discussion boards), make posts, and engage in threaded conversations using Bitcoin Ordinal verification and the Waku protocol for decentralized messaging.

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ and npm
• Phantom Wallet browser extension
• Bitcoin Ordinals (required for posting, optional for reading)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/waku-org/OpChan.git
   cd OpChan
   

2. Install dependencies

   npm install
   

3. Setup environment variables

   cp .env.example .env
   

   Edit .env to configure development settings:

   # Set to 'true' to bypass verification in development
   VITE_OPCHAN_MOCK_ORDINAL_CHECK=false
   

4. Start development server

   npm run dev
   

Project Structure

src/
├── components/          # React components
│   ├── ui/             # shadcn/ui component library
│   ├── ActivityFeed.tsx
│   ├── CellPage.tsx
│   ├── Dashboard.tsx
│   └── ...
├── contexts/           # React Context providers
│   ├── AuthContext.tsx # Wallet & authentication
│   ├── ForumContext.tsx # Forum data & state
│   └── forum/          # Forum logic modules
├── lib/                # Core libraries
│   ├── identity/       # Wallet & cryptographic operations
│   ├── waku/          # Waku protocol integration
│   └── utils.ts
├── pages/             # Route components
└── types/             # TypeScript definitions

Usage

Getting Started

1. Connect Wallet: Click "Connect Wallet" and approve the Phantom wallet connection
2. Verify Ordinals: The app will check if your wallet contains Logos Operator Bitcoin Ordinals
3. Browse Cells: View existing discussion boards on the dashboard
4. Create Content: Create new cells, posts, or comments (requires Ordinals)
5. Moderate: Cell creators can moderate their boards

Authentication Flow

OpChan uses a two-tier authentication system:

1. Wallet Connection: Initial connection to Phantom wallet
2. Key Delegation: Optional browser key generation for improved UX
   • Reduces wallet signature prompts
   • Configurable duration: 1 week or 30 days
   • Can be regenerated anytime

Network & Performance

• Waku Network: Connects to multiple bootstrap nodes for resilience
• Message Caching: Local caching with IndexedDB (planned)
• Time-bounded Queries: 24-hour query windows to prevent database overload
• Pagination: 50 messages per query with fallback limits

Contributing

Development Setup

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
3. Make your changes following the existing code style
4. Test your changes thoroughly
5. Commit your changes: git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'
6. Push to the branch: git push origin feature/amazing-feature
7. Open a Pull Request

TODOs

• replace mock wallet connection/disconnection
  • supports Phantom
• replace mock Ordinal verification (API)
• figure out using actual icons for cells
• store message cache in indexedDB -- make app local-first (update from/to Waku when available)
• moderation
  • admins can "moderate" comments/posts

Architecture

OpChan implements a decentralized architecture with these key components:

• Waku Protocol: Handles peer-to-peer messaging and content distribution
• Bitcoin Ordinals: Provides decentralized identity verification
• Key Delegation: Improves UX while maintaining security
• Content Addressing: Messages are cryptographically signed and verifiable
• Moderation Layer: Cell-based moderation without global censorship

Support

For questions, issues, or contributions:

• Open an issue on GitHub for bugs or feature requests
• Check existing issues before creating new ones
• Provide detailed information for bug reports
• Include steps to reproduce issues

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Note: This is a Proof of Concept implementation. Use at your own risk in production environments.