I am wondering if there is a chat program that works locally when the internet is out but still be connected to from the internet. I know this will be something that is self hosted.
Bonus points if I can set it up on the raspberry pi that is running Home Assistant.
Briar works completely offline as well as online and has Android apps. I believe iOS apps are coming soon, although unsure of the timeline. https://briarproject.org
The pros are that there’s zero setup or “self-hosting” required. Just install the app and it works. From their site:
Connect directly with nearby contacts - no Internet access requiredPlus briar will work with no internet, and just mesh Bluetooth for message passing instead.
Sadly I need an ios app, as well as android. Someone else mentioned Berty which seems to be similar but with android and ios apps.