Terminal Chat Application

telex

Real-time chat with a vim-style terminal UI and a web interface. Built with Bun. Runs everywhere.

About telex

What is telex?

telex is a lightweight, real-time chat application designed for both terminal and web users. Built with Bun and TypeScript, it provides a modern chat experience without the overhead of traditional messaging apps.

The terminal client uses vim-style keybindings, making it perfect for developers who live in the terminal. The web UI offers a responsive, dark-themed interface accessible from any browser.

Messages support full markdown — bold, italic, code blocks, lists, headers, blockquotes, and task lists all render beautifully in both clients.

Client Interfaces

Terminal & Web

Dependencies

Native Binaries

Platforms

Linux, macOS, Windows

∞

Rooms

Unlimited

Key Features

Real-time Chat

WebSocket-powered messaging with instant delivery across all connected clients

Terminal UI

Vim-style navigation with NORMAL and INSERT modes for keyboard-driven workflows

Web UI

Beautiful browser interface with dark theme, markdown rendering, and mobile support

Zero Dependencies

TUI client compiles to a single native binary — no runtime needed on target machine

Multiple Rooms

Create and switch between unlimited chat rooms on the fly

Markdown Support

Full markdown rendering including code blocks, lists, tables, and task lists

How to Use

Download the Binary

Choose your platform and download the telex client. The binary is self-contained and requires no installation — just download and run.

chmod +x telex-mac-arm64

Connect to a Server

Run the client with your server address and pick a username. The default port is 5819.

./telex-mac-arm64 --host your-server.com --port 5819 --username alice

Navigate with Vim Keys

Use Ctrl+h/j/k/l to move between panels. Press 'i' to type messages, 'Esc' to go back to NORMAL mode.

Ctrl+h/j/k/l  navigate panels
j / k          scroll up/down
i              enter INSERT mode
Esc            return to NORMAL

Create and Join Rooms

Use slash commands to create rooms, switch between them, or list all available rooms.

/create my-room
/join my-room
/rooms

Keyboard Shortcuts

Move focus between panelsCtrl+h/j/k/l

Scroll down / up in current panelj / k

Jump to top / bottomg / G

Send message or select roomEnter

Copy selected message to clipboardy

Cycle to next roomTab

Enter INSERT modei

Return to NORMAL modeEsc

Show help?

Quit applicationq

Slash Commands

/join <room>

Switch to a specific room

/create <room>

Create a new chat room

/rooms

List all available rooms

/help

Show help menu

/quit

Exit the application

Quick Start

# 1. Make the binary executable
chmod +x telex-mac-arm64

# 2. Connect to a server
./telex-mac-arm64 --host your-server.com --port 5819 --username alice

# 3. Or access via web browser
http://your-server.com:5819

# 4. Use vim keys to navigate
#    Press 'i' to type, 'Esc' to go back to NORMAL