Single-binary ChatGPT web UI that warns you not to monetize it

What it does

chatgpt-web is a Go-based web frontend for the OpenAI API. You supply an API key and a system description (the README uses defaults like “温柔贴心的女朋友”), and it serves a browser-based chat interface on port 8080. It handles conversation context and renders replies in Markdown, acting as a thin but practical wrapper around gpt-3.5-turbo and GPT-4 calls.

The interesting bit

The project’s most distinctive feature is its unapologetic focus on circumvention and caution. It ships with built-in HTTP and SOCKS5 proxy support specifically to “防墙” (bypass firewalls), and pairs that with an unusually fierce legal disclaimer warning against commercial use, impersonating OpenAI, and even “私自搭建国际信道” (unauthorized international channels). It’s a chat UI that doubles as a liability memo.

Key highlights

• Single static binary plus a JSON config; the README targets non-technical users who just want to download and run.
• Supports GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models with configurable temperature, max_tokens, top_p, and other sampling parameters.
• Includes basic auth and JWT-based user authentication modules.
• Renders responses with Markdown formatting and maintains question context across turns.
• Docker, Docker Compose, and systemd service templates are documented for persistent deployment.

Caveats

• The README explicitly labels the code as “for demo and testing only” and warns against any commercial use, citing potential trademark, cybersecurity, and criminal liability.
• If you use a third-party api_url proxy, the README notes that the provider can see your plaintext API key and requests; self-hosting the proxy is advised, though not explained.
• The update log and docs contain typos (e.g., “socsk5”) and mixed formatting that suggest maintenance is functional rather than polished.

Verdict

Grab this if you want a quick, self-hosted ChatGPT web client behind a corporate or national firewall and you don’t mind a bare-bones UI. Skip it if you’re looking for a production-grade, commercially safe product or a sophisticated frontend; this is glue code with a strong opinion about liability.