Glossary
Canonical terms for doc.buzzio.dev. Prefer these names in all public docs.
Identity
| Term |
Definition |
| Buzzio ID |
Random 12-digit public account address (often shown with dashes). Not derived from the recovery phrase. |
| 12-word recovery phrase |
On-device mnemonic that derives messaging keys. Buzzio never receives it. |
| @username |
Optional public handle mapped to a Buzzio ID. |
| Ghost ID |
Legacy / internal field name for the same account address in some code paths. Public docs say Buzzio ID. |
| Backup recovery key |
Separate key that unlocks an encrypted history backup. Not the same as the 12-word phrase. |
Privacy modes
| Term |
Definition |
| Sealed |
Content keys on devices; servers relay ciphertext; no durable operator-readable transcript; after delivery/expiry, no durable private who↔whom archive on that path. |
| Shared |
Product needs server-held or server-managed keys and/or durable history (communities, broadcast, open-history groups, Stories ops, Whisper Questions). Still never sold. Shared-room media may use CDN storage + content-hash reuse (dedup). |
| Zero metadata (scoped) |
No durable server archive of who privately talked to whom and what they said on sealed surfaces after delivery/expiry. Not “stores nothing” or Tor anonymity. See scoped definition. |
| Blind relay |
Architectural goal for sealed delivery: move ciphertext, delete after delivery, do not keep a private cloud inbox. |
| Delete-on-delivery |
Pending sealed envelope removed from the relay when the recipient’s device takes delivery. |
| Sealed sender |
Outer envelope that hides plaintext sender identity from the relay from field and FCM wake; recipient opens with identity key. |
| DEK |
Data encryption key held or managed by the service for shared-history text (and legacy shared media). |
Cryptography (short)
| Term |
Definition |
| X3DH |
Asynchronous key agreement used to bootstrap a 1:1 session. |
| Double Ratchet |
Evolving message keys for ongoing 1:1 sessions (forward-secrecy style goals). |
| Sender keys |
E2E group crypto: one ciphertext per group message with member sender chains. |
| AES-GCM |
Authenticated encryption used for payloads and sealed outer envelopes. |
| SQLCipher |
Encrypted local database for readable private history on device. |
| SenderCertificate |
Short-lived cert issued by Cloud Functions so sealed delivery can enforce abuse limits without trusting client-written from. |
| Term |
Definition |
| Secure View |
Mutual mode that hardens screenshot / screen-recording protection while active. Pending requests expire ~2 hours. (Implementation may say “Secure Mode” — public name is Secure View.) |
| Vanish |
Messages disappear after being seen on short timers (seconds to hours). |
| Disappearing messages |
Chat-level timers: 24 hours / 7 days / 90 days. |
| Once-view messages |
Designed to leave shortly after seen (~5 seconds) with stronger screenshot protection. |
| View-once media |
Photo/video opens once, then leaves the thread experience. |
| Kept messages |
Exempt selected messages from disappearing timers. |
Products
| Term |
Definition |
| 1-to-1 chat |
Default sealed private messaging between two people. |
| Encrypted calls |
Voice/video on the 1:1 surface; encrypted signaling; P2P media when possible; no server recording archive. |
| Whisper private chat |
Time-limited QR E2E session; deleted after expiry. |
| Whisper Questions |
Anonymous ask links (whisper.buzzio.dev); owner-readable; not E2EE like Whisper private chat. |
| E2E groups |
Group chat with sender-key E2EE; short catch-up relay; no full open archive for late joiners. |
| Open-history groups |
Groups with server-held DEK for text so members (including late joiners) share backscroll; media planned as CDN + dedup. |
| Communities |
Discord-style shared spaces with roles, channels, events; server-held DEK for text; media planned as CDN + dedup. |
| Broadcast channels |
One-to-many admin feeds; server-managed text encryption; media planned as CDN + dedup; ~30-day posts. |
| Stories |
~24-hour status posts with audience controls. |
