nuqql is a command line instant messenger inspired by centericq and centerim written in Python and using ncurses.

nuqql uses so-called backends for connecting to chat networks. Currently, nuqql supports purpled, nuqql-slixmppd, and nuqql-matrixd as backends. purpled uses libpurple and allows nuqql to connect to multiple chat networks. nuqql-slixmppd uses slixmpp and allows nuqql to connect to XMPP chat networks. nuqql-matrixd uses the Matrix Python SDK and allows nuqql to connect to Matrix chat networks.

After the setup steps (see the "Setup" section), you can start and use nuqql as described in the following.

Run nuqql with ./nuqql.py.

The layout of nuqql is as follows:

+--------------+----------------+
|              |                |
|              |                |
|              |                |
|              |   Log Window   |
|              |                |
| List Window  |                |
|              |                |
|              +----------------+
|              |                |
|              |  Input Window  |
|              |                |
+--------------+----------------+

• List Window: shows the Conversation List
• Log Window: shows the Log of the current Conversation
• Input Window: shows the user's input of the current Conversation

The Conversation List shows your buddies and special conversations for your backend commands and nuqql commands. Buddies are shown with their status (on, afk, off) and their name, e.g., [on] buddy@jabber.org. Group chats and invites to group chats are shown with [grp] and [grp_invite] as a special status. The nuqql and backend command conversations are shown as {nuqql} and with {backend} in front of their name, e.g., {backend} slixmppd.

Basic controls of nuqql are:

• Navigate the Conversation List with the arrow keys UP and DOWN
• Press ENTER on a conversation to open it
• Press h on a conversation to open it and switch to its chat log
• In a conversation:
  • Enter your message/command
  • Send message/command with CTRL-x
  • Switch to chat log window with CTRL-o
    • Search chat log with /
    • Zoom chat log with F9
  • Leave conversation with the ESC key
• Exit nuqql with the q key when you are in no conversation

The basic setup of nuqql consists of installing a backend (purpled, nuqql-slixmppd, and/or nuqql-matrixd) and adding your instant messaging accounts to it.

You can use purpled, nuqql-slixmppd, or both to connect to different chat networks.

nuqql can use purpled to connect to multiple chat networks. If you have not done already, install purpled with the following steps:

• Download purpled
• Build and install purpled with:
  • meson builddir
  • ninja -C builddir install

(Note: these steps require the meson build system.)

nuqql can use nuqql-slixmppd to connect to XMPP chat networks. If you have not done already, install nuqql-slixmppd with the following steps:

• Download nuqql-slixmppd
• nuqql looks for nuqql-slixmppd in your $PATH and the current directory. So, a good way is symlinking the slixmppd.py executable from the nuqql-slixmppd folder into your nuqql folder.

nuqql can use nuqql-matrixd to connect to Matrix chat networks. If you have not done already, install nuqql-matrixd with the following steps:

• Download nuqql-matrixd
• nuqql looks for nuqql-matrixd in your $PATH and the current directory. So, a good way is symlinking the matrixd.py executable from the nuqql-matrixd folder into your nuqql folder.

If you have not done already, you need to add your instant messaging accounts to your backends. You can do this from nuqql with the following steps:

• Start nuqql.
• Enter the conversation with the backend by pressing the ENTER key on the entry in the Conversation List ({backend} purpled or {backend} slixmppd).
• Add your accounts (note: send the following commands the backend with the CTRL-X key combination):
  • for example, you can add a jabber account with this command: account add xmpp user@jabber-server.com users_password
• List your accounts with the command: account list
• If you want to add an extra buddy, you can just send a message to it, for example, with this command: account 0 send user_name@server.com. Note: 0 is the account ID as shown with account list.

If certain keys do not work, nuqql-keys.py is a tool that might help you to set up or reconfigure the keymaps within the nuqql code.

Most of the development happens in the devel branch. When a new version of nuqql is released, the devel code is merged into the master branch. So, if you want to try the latest code, check out the devel branch, otherwise just use master.

• v0.5:
  • Add group chat support and helper commands for group chats:
    • /names: get list of users in current group chat
    • /invite <user>: invite user to current group chat
    • /join: join the current group chat (after getting invited)
    • /part: leave current group chat
  • Add history searching: search the history with / and then jump to next match with n and previous match with p
  • Add F10 hotkey to jump from a conversation to first URL starting with http in its history and also switch to zoomed view
  • Add support for the nuqql-matrixd backend
  • Cleanups, fixes, and improvements
  • Requires purpled v.4, nuqql-slixmppd v0.3, or nuqql-matrixd v0.1
• v0.4:
  • Add additional keybinds in Input Window:
    • ctrl-a: go to beginning of line
    • ctrl-e: go to end of line
    • ctrl-k: delete from cursor to end of line
    • ctrl-u: delete line
  • Add additional keybinds in List and Log Window:
    • HOME: jump to first line
    • END: jump to last line
  • Add Log Window zooming with F9 key when browsing the history
  • Add account status and persistent global status (for all accounts) in {nuqql} conversation:
    • global-status get: get global status
    • global-status set <status>: set global status to <status>
  • Improve terminal resize handling
  • Improve conversation list focus and conversation history behaviour
  • Code cleanups, fixes and reorganization
  • Requires purpled v0.3 or nuqql-slixmppd v0.2
• v0.3:
  • Introduce chat history support
  • Add support for the slixmppd backend
  • Rename Buddy List to Conversation List
  • Introduce multiple backend support
    • Each backend is listed as conversation in the Conversation List
  • nuqql command window is now also a conversation in the Conversation List
  • Coding style fixes and code reorganization
  • Requires purpled v0.2 or nuqql-slixmppd v0.1.
• v0.2:
  • Make nuqql configuration easier:
    • Look for purpled in $PATH
    • Retrieve accounts from purpled
    • Allow sending commands to purpled directly from nuqql using the command window
  • Restructure code.
  • Introduce .config/nuqql in your home directory as working directory. purpled sock file, config, logs, etc. are stored in .config/nuqql/backend/purpled
  • Requires purpled v0.2.
• v0.1:
  • First/initial release.
  • Requires purpled v0.1.