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Delta Chat

COMMS
Velocity5.0

Decentralized, encrypted messenger that works over the email network.

delta.chat ↗

The email-as-messenger keeps shedding classic-email cruft for the Chatmail model

messagingchatmailprivacydesktop-appopen-sourceaccessibility
◆Current state
Delta Chat's desktop client ships frequent versioned releases centered on two threads: moving decisively onto the Chatmail relay model (removing classic-email folder and server-deletion options, dropping OAuth) and steady UX work — keyboard accessibility, multi-select, group profiles, WebXDC mini-apps, and calling. Channels are now getting the same treatment as chats, with reactions arriving in 2.59.0, and an experimental Team Profiles option appears at profile creation. Releases are a mix of substantive feature drops and thin core-bump maintenance tags.
◆Where it's heading
The clear direction is Chatmail-native simplification: strip the legacy email-configuration surface so the app behaves like a messenger, not a mail client, while the server handles retention and relay. Alongside it, a keyboard-first desktop experience is forming (command palette, accessibility passes, shortcuts), and channels are being brought up to parity with one-to-one chats feature by feature. The experimental Team Profiles flag is the first hint of an audience beyond individual users, though the notes say nothing about what it does.
◆Prediction
Expect more classic-email options to be retired and the experimental command palette to mature toward default. Team Profiles is the one to watch, but the entries give no detail on its scope, so whether it signals a genuine organizational tier or a small provisioning convenience is not yet readable from the release notes.

◆Recent moves

  1. 3d ago

    Channel post reactions and experimental Team Profiles

    Reactions come to channel posts, closing another gap between channels and regular chats, and an experimental Team Profiles option appears when creating a profile. The rest is a broad fix pass — QR scanner camera selection, clickable links, group dialog polish, accessibility labels — plus core and Electron bumps.

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  2. 23d ago

    v2.57.0 release preparation

    A release-preparation tag that only updates the changelog with no user-facing changes of its own. Routine version housekeeping in the frequent-release cadence.

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  3. 25d ago

    OAuth removed; group member search and command palette added

    OAuth support is removed and relay handling simplified, while group profiles gain member search and a three-dot menu, proxy status shows in the chat header, and an experimental command palette appears. Continues the Chatmail simplification plus keyboard-first UX arc.

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  4. 1mo ago

    Multi-message selection and keyboard accessibility work

    Adds multi-message selection, an account-switch shortcut, and a round of keyboard accessibility and focus-management fixes. Part of the steady desktop keyboard-first push.

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  5. 2mo ago

    v2.52.0 core update

    A core-only version bump with no desktop-specific changes, deferring to the prior release's notes. Maintenance tag in the release stream.

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  6. 2mo ago

    Classic-email folder and deletion options removed for Chatmail

    Removes several classic-email options — dedicated-folder fetching, server-side message deletion, show-email — deferring retention to Chatmail and the underlying server. A concrete step in the Chatmail-native simplification.

    View source ↗