Accessible Chat

A custom chat site built for a visually impaired friend, with selectable contrast modes and a hand-built real-time messaging stack.

COVID-19

During the 2020 pandemic, my friends and I needed a way to talk online. One friend is visually impaired and uses a specific contrast that is easier on his eyes, so mainstream chat tools were not a good fit.

I began with HTML and CSS, learned JavaScript to make the interface work, then deployed the completed chat to my dad's VPS with a SQL database. That same friend later joined the development effort.

Technical specifications

Accessible Chat used a traditional Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP stack.

Secure login with bearer tokens
Dark and custom accessibility modes
Message replies and multi-tab quick links
A regular-expression Markdown implementation
DOMPurify input sanitization
Mobile support, inline media, system commands, and moderation tools

Reflection

This was my first full-stack website and the first useful tool I made for people I knew. It taught me that accessibility is not an abstract checklist: inclusive software can strengthen real relationships.

Engineering, at the heart of it, is a people business. The interpersonal connection created by computer science is what keeps the work meaningful to me.