Install the app
Glitr runs first as a progressive web app. You open it in a browser, use it immediately, and — if you want — install it so it behaves like any other app on the home screen or dock.
There is no store listing you must use, and no account you create with us.
Open Glitr in a browser
- Go to Open Glitr.
- Wait for the app to load. You should see chats, contacts, and a profile — the messenger chrome.
- To actually send mail, you will connect a repository. You can look around first.
Use a current Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox. The app needs a secure context: https on the public web, or localhost while developing.
Install on a phone (PWA)
Android (Chrome)
- Open Glitr in Chrome.
- Use the browser menu → Install app / Add to Home screen.
- Launch it from the icon. It runs full screen, without the browser chrome.
iPhone / iPad (Safari)
- Open Glitr in Safari (not an in-app browser).
- Tap Share → Add to Home Screen.
- Open it from the home screen.
After the first visit, the installed app can open offline for the interface. Sending and receiving still need a network to reach your git host (and a live peer, if you want the direct path).
Install on a desktop
In Chrome or Edge on a computer, the address bar offers an install icon after the app has loaded. Installing gives you a standalone window.
Native desktop and mobile packages are also built for people who want a binary instead of a browser tab. Prefer the web app unless you have a reason not to — it is the same messenger.
What “installed” does and does not do
| You get | You do not get |
|---|---|
| An icon, standalone window, and faster return visits | A Glitr account |
| The messenger UI cached on the device | Automatic backup of your encryption password |
| Offline chrome after the first visit | Offline send that reaches someone without a network |
Your messages live in the git repository you connect, plus a local working copy on the device. Uninstalling the PWA does not delete the remote repository. It may delete the local copy. Keep the repo URL and the encryption password somewhere you will not lose.
Next
Connect the mailbox: Connect your repository. If you are setting this up with a friend in the same sitting, skip ahead to Your first conversation.