https://github.com/sammacbeth/dat-fox

dat:// protocol as a Firefox webextension
https://github.com/sammacbeth/dat-fox

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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dat:// protocol as a Firefox webextension

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/sammacbeth/dat-fox
• Owner: sammacbeth
• License: mit
• Created: 2018-04-03T17:11:47.000Z (over 6 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2022-12-07T17:56:56.000Z (almost 2 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-07-23T21:09:01.503Z (about 2 months ago)
• Language: JavaScript
• Size: 1.97 MB
• Stars: 248
• Watchers: 13
• Forks: 12
• Open Issues: 42
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE.txt

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• awesome-starred - sammacbeth/dat-fox - dat:// protocol as a Firefox webextension (others)

README

        
# Dat-Firefox

This is a prototype browser extension which makes `dat://` urls function in Firefox using a slightly

modified [dat-gateway](https://github.com/sammacbeth/dat-gateway) as a bridge to the dat network.

It aims to implement native-like dat support possible in Firefox. This means:

1. Links to `dat://` addresses and sites should work directly. While [Webextensions protocol handlers](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/protocol_handlers) are limited - we cannot show `dat://` in the address bar on a loaded page - we can at least properly process the initial URL or link.

2. Dat site operate on the correct origin. When using the [dat-gateway](https://github.com/pfrazee/dat-gateway) to bridge to the dat network, all dat addresses look like `http://localhost:3000/{hash}/path`. This has the effect of potentially breaking relative URLs on the page, and also preventing the web's cross-origin policies from preventing data leakage between sites. To fix this we have to make `{hash}` the origin.

## Usage

1. Install [dat-fox-helper](https://github.com/sammacbeth/dat-fox-helper)

   

2. Install the extension from the [Mozilla Addon Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/dat-p2p-protocol/)

3. Visit a `dat://` URL. 

## Local development

You can also build and run the extension locally. You will need a version of node greather that 7. [nvm](https://github.com/creationix/nvm) is recommended for installing node.

```bash

git clone https://github.com/sammacbeth/dat-fox.git

cd dat-fox

# install build dependencies

npm install

# build

npm run build

# if you want to watch for file changes

npm run serve

```

You can now load the `addon` folder as a temporary addon in Firefox:

 1. Go to `about:debugging` in Firefox.

 2. Chose `Load Temporary Addon`.

 3. Browser to the `addon` folder and chose any file in this folder.

## What works

* Load content from dat archives with the following URL types:

   * `dat://{hash}`

   * `http://{hash}`

   * `dat://{hostname}` (using [Dat Discovery](https://github.com/beakerbrowser/beaker/wiki/Authenticated-Dat-URLs-and-HTTPS-to-Dat-Discovery))

* Toggle between `https` to `dat` protocol for Dat-enabled sites.

* Create and fork archives.

* `DatArchive` [API](https://beakerbrowser.com/docs/apis/dat.html)

## How it works

1. The [protocol handler](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/manifest.json/protocol_handlers) redirects `dat://` urls to a special handler domain (`dat.redirect`), passing the full url.

2. A [webRequest](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/webRequest) listener intercepts requests to this domain and redirects to a `http://` URL with the dat key or hostname as the origin.

3. A [proxy PAC](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/proxy) file intercepts hostnames matching a dat key pattern, or hostnames the user has explicitly ask to load over dat. Requests for these URLs are proxied via the dat-gateway (acting as a HTTP proxy). This allows us to make 'fake' hostnames work, and create the origins we need for dat sites.