Databag

Databag is a self-hosted, federated messaging platform that brings decentralized communication to individuals and small communities without requiring blockchain infrastructure or corporate messaging servers. Unlike centralized messaging apps that store all conversations on company servers, Databag enables direct communication between self-hosted nodes using public-private key cryptography for identity management. The federation model means users on different Databag nodes can message each other freely, similar to email, without depending on a central service provider. End-to-end encryption support (default unsealed, optionally sealed) ensures privacy even from node administrators, while the topic-based organization system provides a unique alternative to traditional contact-centric messaging interfaces. With support for audio/video calls, mobile push notifications via UnifiedPush, FCM, or APN, and remarkably low resource requirements, Databag delivers modern messaging features through a self-hosted, privacy-respecting architecture.

Common Use Cases

Family & Household Communication: Host a private messaging server for your entire family with unlimited accounts and no per-user fees. Communicate securely without uploading family conversations, photos, or videos to commercial messaging platforms. Use topic-based threads to organize conversations by subject (family events, household tasks, vacation planning) rather than one-on-one chats. Enable end-to-end encryption for sensitive topics while keeping other conversations unsealed for easier management. Perfect for privacy-conscious families who want the convenience of modern messaging without corporate surveillance. Small Community & Friend Group Messaging: Deploy a shared Databag node for friend groups, small communities, or organizations wanting private communication infrastructure. Federation support means contacts on other Databag nodes can participate in conversations without creating accounts on your server. Organize discussions by topic to maintain separate threads for different interests, projects, or activities. Use audio and video calling for remote hangouts and virtual meetings without relying on commercial video conferencing platforms. Privacy-Focused Secure Communication: Communicate with contacts using end-to-end encrypted sealed topics that even the hosting administrator cannot decrypt. Maintain identity through public-private key pairs that remain valid regardless of which node hosts your account, avoiding vendor lock-in to specific hosting providers. Self-host to eliminate concerns about message retention policies, data mining, or government data requests to commercial messaging companies. Ideal for activists, journalists, or anyone requiring private communication channels independent of corporate platforms. Decentralized Messaging Network: Participate in the federated Databag network by hosting your own node and connecting with users on other nodes worldwide. Contribute to decentralized communication infrastructure by providing messaging services to your community without dependence on centralized corporate platforms. Maintain sovereignty over your messaging data and policies while remaining interoperable with the broader Databag federation.

Key Features

• Decentralized architecture with direct node-to-node communication
• Federation support for cross-node messaging
• Public-private key based identity independent of hosting domain
• End-to-end encryption for sealed topics (default unsealed for convenience)
• Audio and video calling capabilities
• Topic-based message organization instead of contact-centric threads
• Unlimited accounts per node for hosting entire communities
• Lightweight resource requirements (runs on Raspberry Pi Zero)
• Low latency with WebSocket push notifications
• Mobile push notifications via UnifiedPush, FCM, and APN
• Admin dashboard for account and node management
• No blockchain or cryptocurrency dependencies
• Self-contained deployment with minimal dependencies
• Open-source with active development

Why deploy Databag on Hostinger VPS

Deploying Databag on Hostinger VPS creates a private, federated messaging infrastructure that eliminates dependence on commercial messaging platforms while maintaining interoperability with other Databag nodes worldwide. Self-hosting ensures your messages, call history, and contact information remain entirely within your infrastructure—never scanned for advertising, never analyzed for sentiment, and never subject to corporate terms-of-service changes that could limit features or introduce monetization. With VPS hosting, you control message retention policies, backup procedures, and access controls without commercial platforms deciding how long messages persist or who can access archived conversations. The unlimited accounts per node model makes it economical to provide messaging services for entire households, extended families, or small organizations without per-user subscription fees common in commercial secure messaging services. The federation architecture means your node participates in a decentralized communication network where users on different nodes can message freely, avoiding the walled garden problem where everyone must use the same service provider. For families and communities wanting WhatsApp-style convenience with email-style decentralization, Databag on VPS provides modern messaging features without corporate intermediaries. The lightweight design runs efficiently on modest VPS resources, leaving capacity for other applications while maintaining responsive messaging and calling. The public-private key identity system ensures user identities remain valid even if they migrate between nodes, providing account portability impossible with centralized platforms. For privacy advocates, small communities, families, and anyone building decentralized communication infrastructure, Databag on Hostinger VPS delivers secure, federated messaging with the autonomy of self-hosted infrastructure and the interoperability of email.