nchat (created by OpenClaw)

Install, configure, inspect, troubleshoot, and operate the terminal-based nchat messenger client for Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal. Use when Codex needs to set up nchat profiles, adjust ~/.config/nchat app/ui/key/color configuration, diagnose nchat startup/sync/media/keyboard issues, export or inspect nchat message cache with explicit privacy approval, or guide safe terminal workflows around sending, replying, editing, forwarding, attachments, reactions, proxies, QR/pairing login, and auto-compose.

Nchat

Created by OpenClaw.

Use this skill for local nchat work. Treat nchat as privacy-sensitive because it stores chat accounts, logs, media/cache, and exportable message history under its config directory.

Safety Boundaries

• Do not run nchat, nchat --setup, nchat --remove, nchat --export, or interactive key automation that can send, delete, archive, forward, or react unless the user explicitly authorized the exact action and account/scope.
• Do not print full phone numbers, profile local keys, proxy passwords, message cache, exported messages, logs, QR codes, pairing codes, auth codes, or private media paths into chat.
• For read-only diagnostics, prefer scripts/nchat_doctor.py; it avoids cache/history/log files and masks phone-like profile names.
• Scrub logs, core dumps, and exported histories before sharing with maintainers or third parties.
• Prefer separate config directories per protocol/phone number when configuring multiple accounts, for example ~/.config/nchat-telegram and ~/.config/nchat-whatsapp.

Quick Start

Check the local install:

nchat --version
nchat --help
man nchat

Install on macOS:

brew tap d99kris/nchat
brew install nchat

Set up an account only after the user approves login/linking:

nchat --setup
USE_PAIRING_CODE=1 nchat --setup
USE_QR_TERMINAL=1 nchat --setup

Use a separate config directory:

nchat -d ~/.config/nchat-telegram --setup
nchat -d ~/.config/nchat-telegram

Remove an account or export message cache only with explicit approval:

nchat --remove
nchat --export <private-output-dir>

Workflow

1. Classify the request: install/setup, config edit, UI/key/theme tuning, troubleshooting, message export, or interactive operation.
2. Check side effects. Ask before login/linking, send/delete/archive/forward/react, account removal, message export, log sharing, or anything that can reveal private messages.
3. Gather read-only context:

python3 scripts/nchat_doctor.py --confdir ~/.config/nchat
python3 scripts/nchat_doctor.py --confdir ~/.config/nchat --include-config

4. Read references/nchat-reference.md before editing config or giving detailed troubleshooting instructions.
5. Edit config files only while nchat is not running. Keep backups for user-specific config changes.
6. Verify with the smallest safe check: nchat --version, nchat --help, the doctor script, or an approved interactive launch.

Configuration Map

• app.conf: cache, attachment behavior, downloads dir, SOCKS5 proxy, QR/pairing preferences, ISO timestamps, clipboard commands.
• ui.conf: UI layout, notifications, read receipts, typing/online status sharing, file/link/message open commands, spell check, auto-compose, terminal bell.
• key.conf: ncurses key bindings; use nchat --keydump to discover key codes.
• color.conf and usercolor.conf: theme colors and per-user group colors.
• profiles/<Protocol_phone>/telegram.conf: Telegram markdown and display-name settings.
• profiles/<Protocol_phone>/whatsappmd.conf and signal.conf: protocol display-name settings.

Common Tasks

• Send on Enter: set send_msg=KEY_RETURN in key.conf. To keep multiline compose on Alt/Opt-Enter, set linefeed_on_enter=0 in ui.conf and linebreak=\\33\\15 in key.conf.
• Alt/Opt shortcuts on macOS: enable the terminal profile option that sends Option as Meta. If a shortcut still fails, use nchat --keydump and update key.conf.
• Themes: copy a theme's color.conf and usercolor.conf into the config directory while nchat is stopped.
• Invisible sent messages: remove gray values from color.conf if a terminal maps gray poorly.
• Proxy setup before first login: launch nchat once to create the config dir, edit app.conf proxy fields, then run nchat --setup.
• Auto-compose: treat as external AI usage. It may require OPENAI_API_KEY or GEMINI_API_KEY and can incur costs; keep disabled unless the user explicitly asks.
• Debugging: start with nchat --verbose. Review log.txt privately and redact it before any external sharing.

Reference

Use references/nchat-reference.md for grounded details on commands, key bindings, config keys, setup modes, build flags, debugging, and limitations. The reference was distilled from nchat 5.15.26 README/manpage and the official d99kris/nchat docs.