Getting Started

# Getting Started

## Install

The [Download page](/download/) has packages and archives for Linux,
macOS, and Windows.

Or build from source with a recent stable [Rust](https://rustup.rs):

```sh
git clone https://github.com/crmne/zapfast zapfast
cd zapfast
cargo install --path .
zapfast
```

On Linux, the build needs egui's development libraries, ALSA, and CMake.
libopus and the H.264 decoder build from source. On Arch Linux:

```sh
sudo pacman -S --needed alsa-lib libxkbcommon wayland cmake
```

On Debian or Ubuntu:

```sh
sudo apt install build-essential cmake libasound2-dev libxkbcommon-dev libwayland-dev libgl1-mesa-dev
```

A desktop entry ships in `packaging/applications/zapfast.desktop`.

## Link with your phone

ZapFast links as a companion device, like WhatsApp Web. Start it and either:

- scan the QR code with your phone (WhatsApp, **Settings**, **Linked
  devices**, **Link a device**), or
- click **Link with phone number** and enter the eight-character code on your
  phone.

The link survives restarts. Your phone does not need to stay on the same
network or be online to read messages already stored in ZapFast.

## Message history

After linking, the phone sends recent history. The chat list appears within
seconds, and messages can take a few minutes to finish loading. ZapFast stores
new messages in its own archive. When you scroll past the stored history,
ZapFast asks your phone for older messages. The phone must be online.

## Try it in your own chat

Use WhatsApp's **Message yourself** chat to try messages, reactions, edits,
voice messages, and attachments privately.

Install

The Download page has packages and archives for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Or build from source with a recent stable Rust:

git clone https://github.com/crmne/zapfast zapfast
cd zapfast
cargo install --path .
zapfast

On Linux, the build needs egui’s development libraries, ALSA, and CMake. libopus and the H.264 decoder build from source. On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S --needed alsa-lib libxkbcommon wayland cmake

On Debian or Ubuntu:

sudo apt install build-essential cmake libasound2-dev libxkbcommon-dev libwayland-dev libgl1-mesa-dev

A desktop entry ships in packaging/applications/zapfast.desktop.

Link with your phone

ZapFast links as a companion device, like WhatsApp Web. Start it and either:

scan the QR code with your phone (WhatsApp, Settings, Linked devices, Link a device), or
click Link with phone number and enter the eight-character code on your phone.

The link survives restarts. Your phone does not need to stay on the same network or be online to read messages already stored in ZapFast.

Message history

After linking, the phone sends recent history. The chat list appears within seconds, and messages can take a few minutes to finish loading. ZapFast stores new messages in its own archive. When you scroll past the stored history, ZapFast asks your phone for older messages. The phone must be online.

Try it in your own chat

Use WhatsApp’s Message yourself chat to try messages, reactions, edits, voice messages, and attachments privately.