Which devices can run Volla Messages?

Android phones and desktop computers — the releases page lists Android APK and AAB builds alongside Linux, macOS and Windows installers.

Do you need a Volla phone to use it?

No. The Android builds can be installed on any Android device: the 'rich' build includes its own Holochain conductor, while the 'lite' build uses the conductor provided by the separate Android Service Runtime app.

How do I build it from source?

The repository's developer notes use a Nix development shell: run 'nix develop', then 'npm install', then 'npm run start:desktop'.

Project · messenger

Volla Messages

Name: Volla Messages
Author: HelloVolla

a private chat appNo description published yet.

Explore this project All projects

How you run it: On a phoneDesktop appOn Volla
Holochain version: 0.7.0
Activity: active
Checked: 29 October 2026

Covered by hAppRadar on 9 October 2026: Weekly Pulse #3

What is Volla Messages and what is it for?

Volla Messages is a private chat app for Android phones and desktop computers, built on Holochain as one of the first applications of the Volla Cloud. It lets people message contacts and groups directly, with conversations held by the participants rather than by a data centre.

Volla Messages is a private chat app for Android and desktop, and Volla describes it as one of the first applications built for the Volla Cloud — the part of Volla OS formed by users' own phones, tablets and computers rather than by a data centre.

In everyday terms it is a messenger. You add someone using their contact code, then open a one-to-one or group conversation by sharing an invitation code; an open group can be joined by anyone using Volla Messages who has the code. Text, links and photos travel through the app, and each exchange, with one person or a group, is kept in its own network.

It runs on Android phones and on desktop Linux, macOS and Windows, with installers published on the project's releases page. The repository's developer notes cover building and testing it yourself, including running a local network of two agents against a released happ. Learn more from the repository and the Volla Cloud product page.

How to get it

Desktop app

Open the project's releases page and download the installer for your system: a .deb, .rpm or AppImage for Linux, a .dmg for macOS, or an .exe or .msi for Windows.
Run the installer and open Volla Messages.

Source: https://github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/latest

On Android

On the releases page choose an Android build: the 'rich' build bundles its own Holochain conductor and works on any Android device, while the 'lite' build uses the conductor supplied by the separate Android Service Runtime app.
Install the downloaded APK, then open Volla Messages.

Source: https://github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/latest

On Volla

On a Volla device, Volla Messages is the version optimized for Volla OS, which uses a Volla Cloud core service of the operating system.

Source: https://volla.online/en/volla-cloud/

Questions people ask

Which devices can run Volla Messages?: Android phones and desktop computers — the releases page lists Android APK and AAB builds alongside Linux, macOS and Windows installers. source
Do you need a Volla phone to use it?: No. The Android builds can be installed on any Android device: the 'rich' build includes its own Holochain conductor, while the 'lite' build uses the conductor provided by the separate Android Service Runtime app. source
How do I build it from source?: The repository's developer notes use a Nix development shell: run 'nix develop', then 'npm install', then 'npm run start:desktop'. source

From 4 public sources, checked 23 September 2026.

Try Volla Messages

Code on GitHubOpen on GitHub ↗Last change 28 October 2026.
Releasehapp-v1.0.4Pre-release, published 28 October 2026.
Ships a desktop app (v1.0.3)github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3 ↗
Ships apps built with p2p-shipyard (v1.0.3)github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3 ↗
Ships an app for Volla phones (v1.0.3)github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3 ↗
Ships a phone app (v1.0.3)github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3 ↗

Details & sources

Source: HelloVolla/volla-messages

Evidence

Release: github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/happ-v1.0.4shipped in a release · seen since 29 October 2026 · github.release@1
Last change: api.github.com/repos/HelloVolla/volla-messageslisted by a third party · seen since 20 October 2026 · github.repository@1
Activity: api.github.com/repos/HelloVolla/volla-messageslisted by a third party · seen since 20 October 2026 · liveness@1
Desktop app: github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3shipped in a release · seen since 20 October 2026 · desktop.shipped@1
p2p-shipyard: github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3shipped in a release · seen since 20 October 2026 · p2p-shipyard.shipped@1
Volla: github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3shipped in a release · seen since 20 October 2026 · volla.shipped@1
Phone app: github.com/HelloVolla/volla-messages/releases/tag/v1.0.3shipped in a release · seen since 20 October 2026 · mobile.shipped@1

Compatibility

hdk: 0.7.0 · Cargo.toml @ c77f28c
hdi: 0.8.0 · Cargo.toml @ c77f28c
holochain-client: 0.21.0 · ui/package.json @ c77f28c
happ.yaml: present · workdir/happ.yaml @ c77f28c
web-happ.yaml: present · workdir/web-happ.yaml @ c77f28c

Do you maintain Volla Messages?Add your name to this project’s page.

Claim this page