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**Current build status:** [](https://travis-ci.org/TokTok/toxcore)
**Current Coverage:** [](https://coveralls.io/github/TokTok/toxcore?branch=master)
[**Website**](https://tox.chat) **|** [**Wiki**](https://wiki.tox.chat/) **|** [**Blog**](https://blog.tox.chat/) **|** [**FAQ**](https://wiki.tox.chat/doku.php?id=users:faq) **|** [**Binaries/Downloads**](https://wiki.tox.chat/Binaries) **|** [**Clients**](https://wiki.tox.chat/doku.php?id=clients) **|** [**Compiling**](/INSTALL.md)
**IRC Channels:** [#tox@freenode](https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=tox), [#toktok@freenode](https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=toktok)
## Q&A:
### What is Tox?
Tox is a fully encrypted, censor resistant, private, distributed network library with a focus on personal communications.
### No, really, what's Tox?
It's a VERY secure Instant Messenger that supports Text, Audio/Video calls, group chats, audio group chats, and file transfers.
### What are your goals with Tox?
We want Tox to be as simple as possible while remaining as secure as possible.
## Toxcore Roadmap
This Roadmap is somewhat tentative, but should give you a good idea of where
we're going, and where we've been.
Currently unsorted, the following is intended to function as a discussion guide
to developers/contributors.
### In Progress
- [ ] 100% unit testing
- [ ] Make toxcore stateless
- [ ] Allow a single toxcore instance to handle multiple keypairs
- [ ] Implement usable group chats
- [ ] Improve A/V implementation
- [ ] Multiple device support
- [ ] Consistent naming scheme throughout toxcore
### Done
- [X] Create Toxcore
- [X] Create DHT
- [X] Create Onion
- [X] Implement Crypto
- [X] Create Messenger
## Documentation:
- [Compiling](/INSTALL.md)
- [DHT Protocol](/docs/updates/DHT.md)
- [Crypto](/docs/updates/Crypto.md)
## The Complex Stuff:
### UDP vs. TCP
Tox must use UDP simply because [hole punching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UDP_hole_punching) with TCP is not as reliable.
However, Tox does use [TCP relays](/docs/TCP_Network.txt) as a fallback if it encounters a firewall that prevents UDP hole punching.
### Connecting & Communicating
Every peer is represented as a [byte string](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_(computer_science)) (the public key [Tox ID] of the peer). By using torrent-style DHT, peers can find the IP of other peers by using their Tox ID. Once the IP is obtained, peers can initiate a [secure](/docs/updates/Crypto.md) connection with each other. Once the connection is made, peers can exchange messages, send files, start video chats, etc. using encrypted communications.