MyBB Chat

Add a realtime WebSocket shoutbox to MyBB with a site-wide floating chat button or an embedded forum-index layout. The responsive floating panel can launch from either bottom corner and brings instant messages, live presence, typing indicators, avatars, permissions and moderator controls to normal forum pages. Includes a dependency-free Node.js socket server and secure signed callbacks to MyBB.

• Site-wide floating chat button available across normal forum pages
• Responsive floating panel for desktop and mobile
• Bottom-right or bottom-left launcher placement
• Configurable floating typing status: off, solid dot or pulsing ring
• Optional embedded shoutbox on the forum index
• Instant WebSocket messages with authenticated history
• Live presence, online count and join/leave events
• Typing indicators with no polling or page refreshes
• Member avatars and MyBB group role badges
• Group-based viewing, sending and moderation permissions
• Modal-confirmed moderator message deletion
• Signed, expiring identity tokens and HMAC-secured callbacks
• Dependency-free Node.js 18+ socket server with Nginx and systemd examples
• Configurable history, retention, cooldown and message limits
• Polished MyBB Admin CP settings and non-destructive deactivation

1. Extract the release ZIP directly into your forum root
2. In Admin CP → Configuration → Plugins, install and activate MyBB Chat
3. Open the plugin Settings link and leave chat disabled during socket setup
4. Generate a shared socket secret and configure the same secret on the Node.js service
5. Set the public wss:// WebSocket address and review access and moderator groups
6. Configure the included Node.js service and TLS reverse proxy examples
7. Enable chat, then verify messages and presence in two signed-in browser sessions

Requires Node.js 18.17 or newer, permission to run a persistent Node.js process, and a TLS reverse proxy for production wss:// connections. No npm installation is required; the socket server uses Node.js built-in modules only. Deactivation preserves settings, templates, and message history.