* Noise

Noise is a Signal Messenger client in Elisp for Emacs powered by https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli

Its ultimate goal is to provide a fast and efficient user interface for Signal chats.

** Tech stack
The tech stack is Elisp and SQLite (for storing conversations)

** Setup
The project assumes a working installation of signal-cli and interfaces with that via JSON-RPC.

** Dependencies

For SQLite access we use this library - https://github.com/pekingduck/emacs-sqlite3-api

We communicate with signal-cli via JSON-RPC over HTTP on localhost port 9128 by default but this can be configured by specifying =noise-signal-cli-address=

** User Experience

We follow Emacs conventions for keybindings with the addition of evil support out of the box. When evil compatibility is enabled then we provide a modal interface for searching conversations/contacts, creating conversations, sending messages, etc.

** User Interface

See the file signal-emacs-ui.html for user interface mockups we're targeting.

** Installation

*** signal-cli

Install =signal-cli= and start the daemon in JSON-RPC mode:

#+begin_src shell
  # Install signal-cli (example using the official tarball)
  wget https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli/releases/latest/download/signal-cli.tar.gz
  tar xf signal-cli.tar.gz

  # Register or link your device
  signal-cli link -n "emacs-noise"

  # Start the daemon on default port 9128
  signal-cli daemon --receive-mode=manual
#+end_src

*** emacs-sqlite3-api

Noise requires the =emacs-sqlite3-api= library for SQLite access. Install it with your
package manager of choice, then set up Noise itself.

*** Noise Package

Below are recipes for several popular Emacs package managers.

**** elpaca

#+begin_src elisp
  (use-package noise
    :ensure (noise
             :host github
             :repo "git.roo.lol/jbrechtel/noise"
             :protocol https)
    :config
    ;; Optional: set a custom signal-cli address
    ;; (setq noise-signal-cli-address "http://localhost:9128")

    ;; Start Noise automatically
    (noise-mode 1))
#+end_src

Or, if you prefer the =elpaca= recipe directly without =use-package=:

#+begin_src elisp
  (elpaca (noise :host github
                 :repo "git.roo.lol/jbrechtel/noise"
                 :protocol https))

  (require 'noise)
  (noise-mode 1)
#+end_src

**** straight.el

#+begin_src elisp
  (straight-use-package
   '(noise :type git :host github
           :repo "git.roo.lol/jbrechtel/noise"
           :protocol https))

  (require 'noise)
  (noise-mode 1)
#+end_src

**** Quelpa

#+begin_src elisp
  (quelpa
   '(noise :fetcher github
           :repo "git.roo.lol/jbrechtel/noise"))

  (require 'noise)
  (noise-mode 1)
#+end_src

**** Manual / package-vc-install (Emacs 29+)

#+begin_src elisp
  (package-vc-install "https://git.roo.lol/jbrechtel/noise")

  (require 'noise)
  (noise-mode 1)
#+end_src

**** Manual clone

#+begin_src shell
  git clone https://git.roo.lol/jbrechtel/noise ~/.emacs.d/manual-packages/noise
#+end_src

Then in your init file:

#+begin_src elisp
  (add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/manual-packages/noise")
  (require 'noise)
  (noise-mode 1)
#+end_src

** Usage

Once signal-cli is running and Noise is installed:

- =M-x noise-mode= — toggle the Noise client (opens the chat list)
- =M-x noise-check-connection= — test connectivity to signal-cli

*** Keybindings

**** Chat list (*signal* buffer)

| Key   | Action                    |
|-------+---------------------------|
| =n=   | Next chat                 |
| =p=   | Previous chat             |
| =RET= | Open selected chat        |
| =m=   | Mark chat as read         |
| =g=   | Refresh chat list         |
| =/=   | Filter chats              |
| =q=   | Quit chat list window     |
| =C-x b= | Switch conversation (minibuffer) |

**** Minibuffer switcher

=M-x noise-switcher= (or =C-x b= from the chat list) opens a fuzzy
completion interface showing all conversations and contacts. Start
typing to narrow, then press =RET= to open the selected conversation.