Realtime Django Chat

A real-time chat application built with Django Channels, featuring WebSocket communication, user authentication, and message persistence.

Features

• Real-time Messaging: Instant message delivery using Django Channels and WebSockets
• User Authentication: Sign up, login, and logout functionality
• Chat Rooms: Create and join multiple chat rooms with unique slugs
• Message Persistence: Messages stored in Redis for session persistence
• Rate Limiting: Prevents spam with configurable message limits (10 messages per minute, 1 second between messages)
• Responsive UI: Clean, modern interface for seamless communication
• Docker Support: Complete containerized setup with PostgreSQL and Redis

Tech Stack

• Backend: Django 5.2.7, Django Channels
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Cache/Message Broker: Redis
• WebSockets: Django Channels with Redis Channel Layer
• Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Containerization: Docker & Docker Compose

Requirements

• Docker
• Docker Compose

Quick Start

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ericknavarro97/realtime-django-chat.git
   cd realtime-django-chat

2. Start the application:

   docker compose up --build

3. Access the application: Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:8000

Usage

1. Sign Up: Create a new account or log in with existing credentials
2. Create Chat Room: Enter a chat room name to create a new room
3. Join Chat: Click on any existing chat room to join the conversation
4. Start Chatting: Send messages that appear instantly to all participants

Architecture

Apps Structure

• accounts: User authentication (signup, login, logout)
• chats: Chat room management and real-time messaging
• config: Django project settings and configuration
• services: Redis service layer for message persistence
• utilities: Common abstract models and utilities

Key Components

• ChatConsumer: WebSocket consumer handling real-time message broadcasting
• RedisService: Manages message storage and retrieval from Redis
• Rate Limiting: Prevents abuse with configurable message limits
• BaseAbstract: Common model base with UUID primary keys and timestamps

Development Commands

# Build and run containers
docker compose up --build

# Run in background
docker compose up -d

# Run tests
docker compose exec django python manage.py test

# Create superuser
docker compose exec django python manage.py createsuperuser

# Run migrations
docker compose exec django python manage.py migrate

# Collect static files
docker compose exec django python manage.py collectstatic

API Endpoints

• GET/POST / - Chat room list and creation
• GET /<chat_slug>/ - Individual chat room
• POST /signup/ - User registration
• POST /login/ - User login
• POST /logout/ - User logout
• WS /ws/<chat_name>/ - WebSocket endpoint for real-time messaging

Configuration

The application uses environment variables for configuration. Key settings include:

• Database: PostgreSQL connection parameters
• Redis: Host and port for caching and channel layer
• Django: Secret key, debug mode, allowed hosts

Future Improvements

• Implement chat deletion (admin only)
• Add more comprehensive error handling and user feedback
• Environment variables configuration with .env file
• Improve cache cleanup mechanisms
• Add user presence indicators
• Implement private messaging
• Add message history pagination
• Email notifications for new messages
• File/image sharing capabilities

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Run tests: docker compose exec django python manage.py test
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.