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https://github.com/nirvik/iWant

Commandline tool for searching and downloading files in LAN network, without any central server
https://github.com/nirvik/iWant

commandline consensus-algorithm decentralization file-monitoring file-sharing lan p2p peer-to-peer python twisted

Last synced: 3 months ago
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Commandline tool for searching and downloading files in LAN network, without any central server

Host: GitHub
URL: https://github.com/nirvik/iWant
Owner: nirvik
License: mit
Created: 2016-09-04T13:30:13.000Z (over 8 years ago)
Default Branch: master
Last Pushed: 2020-03-23T00:42:49.000Z (almost 5 years ago)
Last Synced: 2024-04-25T21:04:41.146Z (10 months ago)
Topics: commandline, consensus-algorithm, decentralization, file-monitoring, file-sharing, lan, p2p, peer-to-peer, python, twisted
Language: Python
Homepage:
Size: 8.71 MB
Stars: 291
Watchers: 23
Forks: 26
Open Issues: 5
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.txt

Awesome Lists containing this project

jimsghstars - nirvik/iWant - Commandline tool for searching and downloading files in LAN network, without any central server (Python)

README

# iWant
### CLI based decentralized peer to peer file sharing

### Build Status
[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/nirvik/iWant.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/nirvik/iWant)

## What is it?
A commandline tool for searching and downloading files in LAN network, without any central server.

## Features
* __Decentralized__ : There is no central server hosting files. Therefore, no central point of failure
* __Easy discovery of files__: As easy as searching for something in Google.
* __File download from multiple peers__: If the seeder fails/leaves the group, leecher will continue to download from another seeder in the network
* __Directory download__: Supports downloading directories
* __Resume download__: Resume download from where you left off.
* __Consistent data__: Any changes(modification, deletion, addition) made to files inside the shared folder will be instantly reflected in the network
* __Cross Platform__: Works in Linux/Windows/Mac. More testing needs to be done in Mac

## Why I built this ?

* I like the idea of typing some filename in the terminal and download it if people around me have it.
* No third party registration.
* No crazy configuration.
* Wanted it to be cross platform.
* Zero downtime.
* No browser.. just terminal
* For fun ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

## Installation
```sh
pip install iwant
```

Or, if you download from source
```sh
python setup.py install --user
```

## System Dependencies
Make sure, you have the following system dependencies installed:
* libffi-dev
* libssl-dev

## Usage
```
iWant.

A commandline tool for searching and downloading files in LAN network, without any central server.

Usage:
iwanto start
iwanto search
iwanto download
iwanto share
iwanto download to
iwanto view config
iwanto --version

Options:
-h --help Show this screen.
--version Show version.
start This starts the iwant server in your system
search Discovering files in the network. Example: iwanto search batman
download Downloads the file from the network
share Change your shared folder
view config View shared and download folder
download to Change download folder

```

__Note: Shared and Download folder cannot be the same__

## How to run
Run `iwanto start` (this runs the iwant service).

## Running client
To run services like, search, download, view config and change config, open up another terminal and make sure that iwant server is running.

## Running server
In windows, admin access is required to run the server
```sh
iwanto start
```
![alt text](docs/starting.gif)

## Search files
Type the name of file ;) (P.S No need of accurate names)
```sh
iwanto search
```
Example:
```sh
iwanto search "slicon valey"
```
![alt text](docs/searching.gif)

## Download files
To download the file , just enter the hash of the file you get after searching.
```sh
iwanto download
```
Example:
```sh
iwanto download b8f67e90097c7501cc0a9f1bb59e6443
```
![alt text](docs/downloading.gif)

## Change shared folder
Change shared folder anytime (Even when iwant service is running)
```sh
iwanto share
```
Example:
```sh
iwanto share /home/User/Movies/
```
In windows, give quotes:
```sh
iwanto share "C:\Users\xyz\books\"
```
![alt text](docs/shareNewFolder.gif)

## Change downloads folder
Change download folder anytime
```sh
iwanto download to
```
Example:
```sh
iwanto download to /home/User/Downloads
```
In windows, give quotes:
```sh
iwanto download to "C:\User\Downloads"
```

## View shared/donwload folder
```sh
iwanto view config
```

## How does it work ?

As soon as the program starts, it spawns the __election daemon__, __folder monitoring daemon__ and __server daemon__.

1. The __election daemon__ takes care of the following activities
* Manages the consensus.
* Notifies the __server daemon__ as soon as there is a leader change.
* It coordinates with other peers in the network regarding contesting elections, leader unavailability, network failure, split brain situation etc.
* It uses __multicast__ for peer discovery. The consensus description is mentioned [here](iwant/core/engine/consensus/README.md)

2. When the __folder monitoring daemon__ starts, it performs the following steps
* Indexes all the files in the shared folder
* Updates the entries in the database
* Informs the server about the indexed files and folders.
* Any changes made in the shared folder will trigger the __folder monitoring daemon__ to index the modified files, update the database and then inform the server about the changes
3. The __iwant client__ talks to the __server daemon__ when the user wishes to:
* search for files
* download files
* change shared folder
* change download folder
4. The __server daemon__ receives commands from __iwant client__ and updates from __file monitoring and election daemon__.
* Updates received from __folder monitoring daemon__ is fowarded to the leader. For example: indexed files/folders information.
* Updates received from the __election daemon__ like `leader change` event, triggers the server to forward the indexed files/folders information to the new leader
* Queries received from the __iwant client__ like `file search` is forwarded to the leader, who then performs fuzzy search on the metadata it received from other peers and returns a list containing (filename, size, checksum)
* Queries received from the __iwant client__ like `file download` is forwarded to the leader, who forwards the roothash of the file/folder along with the list of peers who have the file. The __server daemon__ then intiates download process with peers mentioned in the peers list.
* Updates received from the __iwant client__ like `changing shared folder`, triggers the __server daemon__ to make sure that the __folder monitoring daemon__ indexes the new folder and after indexing is complete, the __server daemon__ updates the leader with the new indexed files/folders meta information.

## Todo
* Incorporate tight security mechanisms
* Add Python3 support
* Add video preview
* Add streaming functionality
* Add basic NAT traversal
* Create test modules
* Improve UI for file/folder download progress bar

## Why it may not work?
* Firewall
* Multicast not supported in your router.

## Errors
All logs are present in `~/.iwant/.iwant.log` or `AppData\Roaming\.iwant\.iwant.log`

## Liked the project ?
[![Say Thanks!](https://img.shields.io/badge/Say%20Thanks-!-1EAEDB.svg)](https://saythanks.io/to/nirvik)
Any ideas, bugs or modifications required, feel free to me send me a PR :)