# PhoneBooth

> PhoneBooth is a free, open-source, peer-to-peer browser video calling and video conferencing app. Users open https://phonebooth.dev/ in any modern browser, enter a display name, click "New room" to generate a 6-digit passcode, share it (or the invite link) with participants, and everyone connects instantly — no login, no signup, no download, no account, no payment.

Video and audio stream peer-to-peer over WebRTC (via PeerJS) and are not routed through a central media server; they are not recorded or stored. The first peer in a room becomes the signaling host and relays the roster and in-meeting chat over data channels. An optional AI participant (Vercel AI SDK) answers `@ai` questions in meeting chat and in the lobby helper.

For the full feature/API/tech-stack reference see llms-full.txt.

## What it does

- Creates instant video call rooms identified by a 6-digit numeric passcode.
- Supports multi-participant full-mesh WebRTC video calls (best for ~6–8 participants).
- Provides in-call controls: mute, camera on/off, screen share, raise hand, emoji reactions, leave.
- Includes in-meeting text chat (relayed through the host) with transcript export.
- Offers host controls: "mute all microphones", "remove participant", host spotlight, lock chat.
- Includes a built-in AI participant (`@ai` in meeting chat + lobby helper).
- Works on desktop and mobile browsers (Chrome 90+, Edge 90+, Firefox 88+, Safari 14+, Opera 76+).
- Installs as a Progressive Web App (PWA) with offline shell caching via a service worker.

## What it does NOT do

- It does not record or store calls.
- It does not require user accounts or authentication to start/join calls.
- It does not use an SFU, so it is not designed for very large conferences, cloud recording, breakout rooms, or a waiting lobby (see project TODO).
- It does not transcribe or caption meetings (planned; not yet shipped).

## How to use

1. Open PhoneBooth in a modern browser.
2. Enter your name.
3. Click "New room" to generate a 6-digit room code, or enter an existing code to join.
4. Share the room code or the invite link (which carries `?room=<code>&name=<name>` query params).
5. Participants open the link, allow camera/mic, and join the call.

## Technical notes

- Frontend: React 18, TypeScript, Vite, Tailwind CSS.
- Video signaling: PeerJS (WebRTC). Peer IDs use the deterministic pattern `phonebooth-{room}-host` for the first peer.
- AI assistant: Vercel AI SDK + AI Gateway via serverless `/api/meeting-ai` (`@ai` + lobby helper).
- Storage: Neon Postgres (`@neondatabase/serverless`) for an optional, non-identifying room-manifest store (`/api/room`).
- Deployment: Vercel (serverless functions for meeting-ai + room APIs); static `dist` build for other hosts.
- The app is a client-rendered SPA. `index.html` ships crawlable fallback content and Schema.org JSON-LD (SoftwareApplication, HowTo, FAQPage, Organization, WebSite) for SEO + GEO.

## Links

- [Live app](https://phonebooth.dev/)
- [Full LLM documentation](https://phonebooth.dev/llms-full.txt)
- [Sitemap](https://phonebooth.dev/sitemap.xml)
- [robots.txt](https://phonebooth.dev/robots.txt)
- [humans.txt](https://phonebooth.dev/humans.txt)
- [GitHub repository](https://github.com/yingkitw/phonebooth)