YakYak is a desktop chat client for Google Hangouts that runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows.
The tool addresses the need for a dedicated desktop application to access Google Hangouts outside the browser. It works by mimicking iOS device behavior to communicate with Google Hangouts APIs, allowing users to send and receive messages, SMS, and MMS through Project Fi or Google Voice. The client supports conversation management including renaming and adding participants, native OS notifications, image uploads via drag-drop or paste, inline image display, and typing indicators. It also integrates video and audio calls by opening them in Chrome and maintains chat history with scrollback functionality.
YakYak suits users who prefer a standalone desktop application for Google Hangouts rather than browser-based access, particularly those on Linux or who want native notifications and offline-aware behavior. The tool includes support for multiple color schemes and translations across numerous languages. It is not associated with or endorsed by Google, and users should be aware that Google may flag account activity as coming from an iOS device, which is expected behavior for this unofficial client.
The project accepts bug reports and pull requests, with the codebase written in CoffeeScript using Node.js and built on Electron. Development contributions are welcomed across core functionality, interface improvements including new themes, bug fixes, and translations, with new translations requiring only around 117 strings to be localized.
