Vanix

A cyberpunk-themed secure communication platform combining self-destructing encrypted messaging with true peer-to-peer file sharing, built on a zero-knowledge architecture where the server never sees plaintext.

About The Project

I built Vanix because digital privacy felt like a luxury rather than a right, and existing secure messaging solutions were either too complex or not secure enough. Vanix combines ephemeral, end-to-end encrypted messaging with direct browser-to-browser file transfer, so neither messages nor files ever touch a server in readable form.

Key Features

• Self-destructing encrypted messages with view limits
• Peer-to-peer file sharing via WebRTC with no size limits
• Client-side AES-GCM-256 encryption before transmission
• Ephemeral links with keys embedded in URL fragments
• Real-time chunked file transfer with progress tracking
• Zero-knowledge architecture — server never sees plaintext

Development Progress

Overall Progress90%

Core messaging and P2P file sharing are complete. Final touches remain on UI polish, deployment automation, and steganography features.

Technology Stack

• Bun
• Next.js
• React
• TypeScript
• PostgreSQL
• Prisma
• Tailwind CSS
• Socket.IO

Motivation

The idea sparked from growing concerns about digital surveillance and the lack of truly private communication tools. I wanted to build something that felt like it belonged in a cyberpunk movie but was actually secure and could handle both messages and large files privately.

• Frustrated by file sharing services that scan and store your uploads
• Wanted true peer-to-peer transfer without intermediary servers
• Needed both secure messaging and file sharing in one platform
• Inspired by cyberpunk aesthetics and the philosophy that "silence is currency"

Development Journey

1. Started with cyberpunk UI design and Next.js architecture.
2. Implemented client-side AES-GCM encryption using the Web Crypto API.
3. Built a WebRTC peer connection system with proper STUN/TURN servers.
4. Added chunked file transfer with real-time progress tracking.
5. Integrated Socket.io for WebRTC signaling and connection management.
6. Currently polishing the deployment pipeline and adding steganography.

Problems Faced

1. WebRTC NAT Traversal : Implementing reliable peer-to-peer connections across different network configurations required proper STUN/TURN server setup and connection fallbacks.

2. Large File Streaming : Chunking large files while maintaining end-to-end encryption and providing real-time progress updates without overwhelming the WebRTC data channel.

3. Socket Signaling Coordination : Synchronizing WebRTC offer/answer exchange, ICE candidates, and peer state using Socket.io while gracefully handling reconnections and signaling failures.

4. Browser Memory Management : Processing large files for encryption and decryption efficiently without exhausting browser memory or degrading application performance.

Key Learnings

1. WebRTC Mastery : Gained a deep understanding of peer-to-peer networking, ICE candidates, STUN/TURN servers, and the challenges of establishing reliable browser-to-browser connections.

2. Real-time Systems : Learned to coordinate complex application state across multiple clients using Socket.io while maintaining synchronization, reliability, and security.

3. Performance Optimization : Explored techniques for efficiently encrypting, streaming, and transferring large files without sacrificing responsiveness or user experience.

4. Security Architecture : Designed a zero-knowledge system where encryption happens entirely on the client, ensuring that servers never have access to user data in plaintext.