Rich Content
Chatalot goes beyond plain text -- you can share files, images, GIFs, polls, and code snippets.
Attachments are not end-to-end encrypted. Message text is. Uploaded file bytes — including images and videos — are sent over TLS and then stored unencrypted, so the server operator can open them. See File sharing.
Pages
| Page | Description |
|---|---|
| File Sharing | Upload, download, and manage file attachments |
| Images and Media | Image previews, video playback, and audio players |
| Polls | Create and vote on polls within channels |
| Link Previews | Automatic website previews for shared URLs |
| Code Highlighting | Syntax-highlighted code blocks with copy support |
| GIF Search | Search and send GIFs powered by GIPHY |
How It All Works Together
When you send a message, Chatalot automatically detects the type of content and renders it appropriately:
- A message containing a URL generates a link preview card with the site's title, description, and thumbnail.
- A message containing an image URL (ending in
.png,.jpg,.gif,.webp, etc.) displays the image inline. - A file attachment is uploaded to the server and displayed with a type-appropriate preview (image, video, audio, or generic file card).
- Markdown code fences are parsed and syntax-highlighted automatically.
- A GIF selected from the picker is sent as a URL and rendered inline.
- A poll is created through a dedicated modal and appears in the polls panel for the channel.
Message content is encrypted before leaving your device. Uploaded files are not — the client sends the raw bytes and the server stores them as-is, so the server holds readable copies of every file, image and video you share. Content encryption for files is designed but not implemented (CHAT-401). For group and community channels, message text is encrypted but the server holds the group key by default; see Encryption overview.