caprine

Elegant Facebook Messenger desktop app

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Quick Overview

Caprine is an elegant Facebook Messenger desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It's built with Electron and offers a clean, native-like experience for using Facebook Messenger on desktop computers. Caprine provides additional features and customization options not available in the standard web interface.

Pros

Cross-platform support (macOS, Windows, Linux)
Enhanced privacy features, including the ability to hide your online status
Customizable interface with dark mode and various themes
Additional features like keyboard shortcuts and notification controls

Cons

Requires more system resources compared to using Messenger in a browser tab
Dependent on Facebook's API, which may change and affect functionality
Limited to Facebook Messenger functionality (cannot access other Facebook features)
May require more frequent updates to maintain compatibility with Facebook's changes

Getting Started

To get started with Caprine:

Visit the Caprine GitHub releases page
Download the appropriate version for your operating system
Install the application following your system's standard installation process
Launch Caprine and log in with your Facebook credentials

Note: Caprine is not a code library, so there are no code examples or quick start instructions for developers. It's an end-user application that can be downloaded and installed directly.

Competitor Comparisons

franz

4,535

Franz is a free messaging app for services like WhatsApp, Slack, Messenger and many more.

Pros of Franz

Supports multiple messaging services in one app
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Extensible with custom recipes for additional services

Cons of Franz

Requires an account and subscription for full features
Heavier resource usage due to multiple services
Less focused on a single platform experience

Code Comparison

Franz (JavaScript):

const electron = require('electron');
const { ipcMain } = electron;
const settings = require('electron-settings');

ipcMain.on('getSettings', (event) => {
  event.returnValue = settings.getSync();
});

Caprine (TypeScript):

import { app, ipcMain } from 'electron';
import settings from 'electron-settings';

ipcMain.on('get-settings', async (event) => {
  event.returnValue = await settings.get();
});

Both projects use Electron and handle settings, but Caprine uses TypeScript and async/await for better type safety and readability. Franz focuses on managing multiple services, while Caprine is tailored specifically for Facebook Messenger, resulting in a more streamlined codebase for its single-service approach.

community-edition

6,354

Free and Open Source messaging and emailing app that combines common web applications into one.

Pros of Community Edition

Supports multiple messaging services in one app, not limited to Facebook Messenger
Offers customization options for each service, including notifications and proxy settings
Provides a more comprehensive solution for users who need to manage multiple communication platforms

Cons of Community Edition

May have a higher resource usage due to supporting multiple services
Potentially more complex user interface compared to Caprine's focused approach
Less frequent updates and potentially slower bug fixes due to broader scope

Code Comparison

Caprine (main process):

app.on('ready', () => {
  mainWindow = createMainWindow();
  tray.create(mainWindow);
  menu.set(mainWindow);
  shortcutManager.registerShortcuts(mainWindow);
});

Community Edition (main process):

app.on('ready', async () => {
  await db.init();
  mainWindow = await createWindow();
  if (process.platform === 'darwin') app.dock.show();
  tray.create(mainWindow);
});

Both projects use Electron for desktop app development, but Community Edition appears to have additional database initialization and platform-specific code. Caprine's code snippet shows a more straightforward setup process focused on a single service, while Community Edition's code hints at its multi-service nature and potentially more complex initialization.

Messenger-for-Desktop

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This is not an official Facebook product, and is not affiliated with, or sponsored or endorsed by, Facebook.

Pros of Messenger-for-Desktop

Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Built-in themes and customization options
Automatic updates

Cons of Messenger-for-Desktop

Less frequent updates and maintenance
Larger application size
Some features may be outdated compared to Caprine

Code Comparison

Caprine (TypeScript):

import {ipcRenderer} from 'electron';
import {is} from 'electron-util';

export default async function () {
  if (is.macos) {
    await ipcRenderer.invoke('set-vibrancy');
  }
}

Messenger-for-Desktop (JavaScript):

const {ipcRenderer} = require('electron');

function setVibrancy() {
  if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
    ipcRenderer.send('set-vibrancy');
  }
}

Both projects aim to provide a desktop application for Facebook Messenger, but they differ in their implementation and maintenance. Caprine is more actively maintained and uses TypeScript, while Messenger-for-Desktop is built with JavaScript and offers more built-in customization options. Caprine tends to have a smaller footprint and more frequent updates, making it potentially more up-to-date with the latest Messenger features.

Signal-Desktop

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A private messenger for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Pros of Signal-Desktop

Focuses on privacy and security with end-to-end encryption
Supports voice and video calls in addition to messaging
Open-source and audited codebase, enhancing trust and transparency

Cons of Signal-Desktop

Limited customization options compared to Caprine
Lacks some advanced features like message scheduling or custom themes
May have a steeper learning curve for new users

Code Comparison

Signal-Desktop (TypeScript):

export async function sendMessage(
  conversationId: string,
  messageText: string
): Promise<void> {
  const conversation = await getConversation(conversationId);
  await conversation.sendMessage(messageText);
}

Caprine (JavaScript):

async function sendMessage(conversationId, messageText) {
  const conversation = await getConversation(conversationId);
  await conversation.sendMessage(messageText);
}

Both repositories use similar patterns for sending messages, but Signal-Desktop employs TypeScript for enhanced type safety. Caprine, being a third-party client for Facebook Messenger, focuses more on enhancing the user experience with additional features and customization options. Signal-Desktop, on the other hand, prioritizes security and privacy in its implementation.

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README

Caprine

Elegant Facebook Messenger desktop app

Caprine is an unofficial and privacy-focused Facebook Messenger app with many useful features.

Caprine is feature complete. However, we welcome contributions for improvements and bug fixes.
Website

Highlights

Dark theme
Vibrant theme*
Privacy-focused
Keyboard shortcuts
Menu bar mode*
Work Chat support
Code blocks
Touch Bar support*
Custom styles
Cross-platform
Silent auto-updates
Custom text size
Emoji style setting
Respects Do Not Disturb*

*macOS only

Install

macOS 10.12+ (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux (x64 and arm64), and Windows 10+ (64-bit) are supported.

Download the latest version on the website or below.

macOS

Download the .dmg file.

Or with Homebrew: $ brew install caprine

Linux

Distribution	Repository	Automatic Updates	Maintainer	How to install
Arch Linux	Community	âï¸	Frederik Schwan	`pacman -S caprine`
Debian / Ubuntu (manually)	GitHub	â	Official	Download the .deb file
Debian / Ubuntu (deb-get)	GitHub	âï¸	Official	Follow the instructions below
Debian / Ubuntu (APT)	Gemfury	âï¸	Lefteris Garyfalakis	Follow the instructions below
RHEL / Fedora / openSUSE	Copr	âï¸	DuÅ¡an SimiÄ	Follow the instructions below
AppImage	GitHub	âï¸	Official	Follow the instructions below
Flatpak	Flathub	âï¸	DuÅ¡an SimiÄ	Visit Flathub and follow the instructions
Snap	Snapcraft	âï¸	Official	Visit Snapcraft and follow the instructions

Installation using deb-get:

Download and install deb-get.
Run deb-get install caprine.

Note: deb-get is 3rd party software, not to be associated with apt-get.

APT repository (Gemfury):

Run the following command to add it:

wget -q -O- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sindresorhus/caprine/main/packages/deb/addRepo.sh | sudo bash

Alternatively (for advanced users):

# Add the repository
echo "deb [trusted=yes] https://apt.fury.io/lefterisgar/ * *" > \
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/caprine.list

# Update the package indexes
sudo apt update

# Install Caprine
sudo apt install caprine

Copr:

For Fedora / RHEL:

sudo dnf copr enable dusansimic/caprine
sudo dnf install caprine

For openSUSE:

Create a new file in /etc/zypp/repos.d/caprine.repo.
Copy the contents of this file and paste them into the file you just created.

Alternatively use the following one-liner:

curl -s https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/dusansimic/caprine/repo/opensuse-tumbleweed/dusansimic-caprine-opensuse-tumbleweed.repo | sudo tee /etc/zypp/repos.d/caprine.repo

AppImage:

Download the .AppImage file.

Make it executable:

chmod +x Caprine-2.xx.x.AppImage

Then run it!

About immutable Linux distributions:

Fedora Silverblue, Fedora Kinoite, EndlessOS, CarbonOS and other immutable distributions only support Flatpak and/or AppImage.*

Note: On some distributions Flatpak must be pre-configured manually.

Windows

Method	Repository	Automatic Updates	Maintainer	How to install
Manually	GitHub	â	Official	Download the .exe file
Chocolatey	Community	âï¸	Michael Quevillon	`choco install caprine`

For taskbar notification badges to work on Windows 10, you'll need to enable them in Taskbar Settings.

Features

Dark mode

You can toggle dark mode in the View menu or with Command d / Control d.

Hide Names and Avatars

You can prevent others from looking at who you're chatting with by enabling the âHide Names and Avatarsâ feature in the âViewâ menu or with Command/Control Shift n.

Vibrancy (macOS only)

On macOS, you can toggle the window vibrancy effect in the View menu.

Privacy

You can choose to prevent people from knowing when you have seen a message and when you are currently typing. These settings are available under the Caprine/File menu.

Mute desktop notifications (macOS only)

You can quickly disable receiving notifications from the Caprine/File menu or the Dock on macOS.

Hide notification message preview

You can toggle the Show Message Preview in Notification setting in the Caprine/File menu.

Prevents link tracking

Links that you click on will not be tracked by Facebook.

Jump to conversation hotkey

You can switch conversations similar to how you switch browser tabs: Command/Control n (where n is 1 through 9).

Compact mode

The interface adapts when resized to a small size.

Desktop notifications

Desktop notifications can be turned on in Preferences.

Always on Top

You can toggle whether Caprine stays on top of other windows in the Window/View menu or with Command/Control Shift t.

Work Chat support

Support for Work Chat: Messenger for Workplace. You can switch to it in the Caprine/File menu.

Code blocks

You can send code blocks by using Markdown syntax.

Background behavior

When closing the window, the app will by default continue running in the background, in the dock on macOS and the tray on Linux/Windows. Right-click the dock/tray icon and choose Quit to completely quit the app. On macOS, click the dock icon to show the window. On Linux, right-click the tray icon and choose Toggle to toggle the window. On Windows, click the tray icon to toggle the window.

Note that you can change the behavior of Caprine so that the app closes when the window is closed. For this, you'll need to go to the settings and click on Quit on Window Close.

Quick access to conversations from the Dock menu (macOS only)

Touch Bar support (macOS only)

Custom languages for spell-check (Not for macOS)

Users can select supported languages from Conversation â Spell Checker Language.

macOS detects the language automatically.

Custom styles

Advanced users can modify the colors/styles of Caprine. Click the menu item Caprine/File â Caprine Settings â Advanced â Custom Styles and a CSS file will open up in your default editor.

Menu Bar Mode (macOS only)

You can enable Show Menu Bar Icon in the Caprine Preferences menu to have a Caprine icon in the menu bar. The icon will indicate when you have unread notifications and you can click it to toggle the Caprine window. You can also toggle the Caprine window with the global shortcut Command Shift y.

You can also remove Caprine from the Dock and task switcher by clicking Hide Dock Icon menu item from the menu bar icon. There will then no longer be any menus for the window, but you can access those from the Menu item in the menu bar icon menu.

Keyboard shortcuts

Description	Keys
New conversation	`Command/Control` `n`
Search conversations	`Command/Control` `k`
Toggle "Dark mode"	`Command/Control` `d`
Hide Names and Avatars	`Command/Control` `Shift` `n`
Next conversation	`Command/Control` `]` or `Control` `Tab`
Previous conversation	`Command/Control` `[` or `Control` `Shift` `Tab`
Jump to conversation	`Command/Control` `1`â¦`9`
Insert GIF	`Command/Control` `g`
Insert sticker	`Command/Control` `s`
Insert emoji	`Command/Control` `e`
Attach files	`Command/Control` `t`
Focus text input	`Command/Control` `i`
Search in conversation	`Command/Control` `f`
Mute conversation	`Command/Control` `Shift` `m`
Hide conversation	`Command/Control` `Shift` `h`
Delete conversation	`Command/Control` `Shift` `d`
Toggle "Always on Top"	`Command/Control` `Shift` `t`
Toggle window menu	`Alt` (Windows/Linux only)
Toggle main window	`Command` `Shift` `y` (macOS only)
Toggle sidebar	`Command/Control` `Shift` `s`
Switch to Messenger	`Command/Control` `Shift` `1`
Switch to Workchat	`Command/Control` `Shift` `2`
Preferences	`Command/Control` `,`

Tip

On macOS, you can change these in the System Preferences and you can even add your own keyboard shortcuts for menu items without a predefined keyboard shortcut.

FAQ

Can I contribute localizations?

The main app interface is already localized by Facebook. The app menus are not localized, and we're not interested in localizing those.

Dev

Built with Electron.

Run

npm install && npm start

Build

See the electron-builder docs.

Publish

npm run release

Then edit the automatically created GitHub Releases draft and publish.

Maintainers

Former

Jarek Radosz

Press

Disclaimer

Caprine is a third-party app and is not affiliated with Facebook.

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