mfahampshire
64 lines
2.7 KiB
Plaintext
64 lines
2.7 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "Native and Desktop App Integration"
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description: "Integrate privacy into native desktop apps and CLIs using the Nym Rust SDK. Choose between end-to-end mixnet messaging or TCP proxy approaches."
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schemaType: "TechArticle"
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section: "Developers"
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lastUpdated: "2026-03-15"
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---
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import { Callout } from 'nextra/components';
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# Native / Desktop Apps
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Desktop apps and CLIs integrate via the [Rust SDK](./rust), with two broad approaches: embedding Nym clients on both sides of the communication (E2E), or using the Mixnet as a proxy to reach external services.
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## Option 1: Mixnet End-To-End
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Both sides of your app run Nym clients. All traffic stays Sphinx-encrypted the entire way. Works for peer-to-peer setups or any case where you control both ends.
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### Stream Module
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The [Stream module](./rust/stream) provides `AsyncRead + AsyncWrite` byte streams multiplexed over the mixnet, the closest analogue to TCP sockets.
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- [docs](./rust/stream)
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- [tutorial](./rust/stream/tutorial)
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### Mixnet & Client Pool Modules
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The [Mixnet module](./rust/mixnet) exposes the raw message API and `MixnetClient`. The [Client Pool](./rust/client-pool) maintains pre-connected clients for bursty workloads. These are appropriate when you need full control over the communication model.
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- [docs](./rust/mixnet)
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- [tutorial](./rust/mixnet/tutorial)
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### TcpProxy Module (Unmaintained)
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<Callout type="error">
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**This module is unmaintained.** Use the [Stream module](./rust/stream) for new projects. Existing users should plan to migrate when possible.
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</Callout>
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Exposes localhost TCP sockets that proxy traffic through the mixnet.
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- [docs](./rust/tcpproxy)
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## Option 2: Mixnet-As-Proxy
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For cases where you only control the client side and need to reach a third-party service such as a blockchain RPC or remote API.
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<Callout type="warning">
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### Security Considerations
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Traffic is Sphinx-encrypted until the Exit Gateway, where it's unwrapped into HTTPS (Network Requester) or raw IP (IP Packet Router). The last hop to the remote host **travels as normal internet traffic**.
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Weaker than E2E against a global passive adversary, but you still get timing obfuscation and sender-receiver unlinkability between your client and the remote service.
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</Callout>
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### SOCKS Client
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Applications that support SOCKS4, 4a, or 5 can use the Socks Client exposed by the Mixnet module. Traffic is routed through the Exit Gateway's Network Requester, which uses SURBs to reply to the sender anonymously.
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- [docs](./rust/mixnet)
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<Callout type="info">
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Development is in progress to allow for this proxy method from native Rust, C, and Go without requiring a separate SOCKS client. Stay tuned.
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</Callout>
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