https://github.com/hoehermann/purple-signal
Pidgin/libpurple plugin for signal using libsignal-service-java (and parts of signal-cli).
https://github.com/hoehermann/purple-signal
instant-messaging libpurple libpurple-plugin pidgin pidgin-plugins signal signal-client textsecure textsecure-client
Last synced: over 1 year ago
JSON representation
Pidgin/libpurple plugin for signal using libsignal-service-java (and parts of signal-cli).
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/hoehermann/purple-signal
- Owner: hoehermann
- License: gpl-3.0
- Archived: true
- Created: 2019-12-16T21:50:13.000Z (over 6 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2022-03-20T11:39:30.000Z (over 4 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-11-05T16:49:45.807Z (over 1 year ago)
- Topics: instant-messaging, libpurple, libpurple-plugin, pidgin, pidgin-plugins, signal, signal-client, textsecure, textsecure-client
- Language: C++
- Homepage:
- Size: 273 KB
- Stars: 24
- Watchers: 6
- Forks: 3
- Open Issues: 4
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.txt
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README
# purple-signal
A libpurple/Pidgin plugin for signal (formerly textsecure). Using [modified parts](https://github.com/hoehermann/signal-cli/) of [signal-cli](https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli) which in turn is employing [a fork of the official implementation](https://github.com/Turasa/libsignal-service-java).
### State
**This plug-in is no longer being developed.** The author writes:
> This plug-in essentially was a C/C++ wrapper around the (official) Java implementation libsignal-service-java. However, Signal itself is moving away from their own reference implementation. They now favour libsignal-client, which implements the same functionality in Rust. This plug-in ended up as a C wrapper around a Java compatibility layer around a Rust binary which is hard to build. Everything is moving in different directions and nothing is stable. Even nodejs seems to be involved at some point.
>
> Moving away from the platform-independent Java implementation, Signal has pulled support win32 so hard [not even third parties can maintain it](https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/1636#issuecomment-1051237708). Maybe [purple-signald](https://github.com/hoehermann/libpurple-signald) will be revived so at least Linux users can have Signal in Pidgin again.
### Download
Binaries once were availiable at https://buildbot.hehoe.de/purple-signal/builds/.
See [INSTALL](INSTALL.md) on how to install this plug-in.
If you want to build the plug-in yourself see [BUILD](BUILD.md).
### Concept
libpurple plug-ins are written in C.
The signal client library is written in Java.
This project uses JNI to create a Java VM instance within the C part of the plug-in. An instance of the Java Class implementing the signal client is created. Upon receival of a message, a static method is called. This call-back method is a native method implemented in C. It forwards the data to libpurple.
This may be considered dark magic by some.
Please note this is the third purple plugin I have ever written. I still have no idea what I am doing.
### Alternative Backends
These back-ends were considered, but not used:
* [libsignal-service-java](https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/tree/master/libsignal/service) cannot link to existing accounts
* [SignalProtocolKit](https://github.com/signalapp/SignalProtocolKit) deprecated, recommends libsignal-protocol-c
* [libsignal-protocol-c](https://github.com/signalapp/libsignal-protocol-c) development seems to have stalled in 2018
* [textsecure](https://github.com/nanu-c/textsecure) "The API (…) is in flux"
* [libsignal-client](https://github.com/signalapp/libsignal-client) "use outside Signal not yet recommended"
### Features
This plug-in is a proof-of-concept with very little features:
* Register a new account (without captcha only)
* Link to an existing account
Use the provided code text with signal-cli
or
Scan the provided QR code with with the official app
* Simple Messaging
* one-to-one conversation
* group conversations (linked only)
* receiving attachments
* Contact list download
Please note that, as of now, you have to add your contacts manually and they appear "offline" in the buddy list.
For more functionality, check out [purple-signald](https://github.com/hoehermann/libpurple-signald). It offers more features, but it depends on a third-party service and thus is Linux only.
### Missing Features
* Retry failed messages
* Sending attachments
* Proper group chats
* Group chat management (explicit join, leave, administration, …)
* everything else
### Known Problems
* May require new link or registration after a crash. Your number can be banned temporarily.
* If the plug-in crashes while handling a message, the message is lost.
* The message cache is not implemented and I have no idea what that may entrail. Probably the above.
* First message from purple-signal to official signal is not sent properly.
* Avatars are downloaded into working directory.
* It takes two minutes for the internal JVM to shut down. Or it crashes when terminating Pidgin. This issue disappears and reappears erratically.