sharing
A CLI tool to share files and directories between your computer and mobile devices via QR codes, no app required.
What is sharing?
Sharing is a command-line tool that allows you to share files and directories from your computer to iOS and Android devices without requiring any additional mobile apps. It works by starting a local web server, generating a QR code, and letting mobile devices access the shared content through their browser. It solves the problem of quickly transferring files between devices without installing software or using cloud services.
Developers, IT professionals, and power users who frequently need to transfer files between their computer and mobile devices in a local network environment.
Developers choose Sharing because it’s lightweight, requires no mobile app installation, and works entirely from the command line with simple QR code access. Its self-hosted nature ensures privacy and control over file transfers without relying on third-party services.
Overview
Sharing is a command-line tool to share directories and files from the CLI to iOS and Android devices without the need of an extra client app
Use Cases
Best For
- Quickly sharing log files or configuration files from a server to a mobile device
- Transferring development assets like images or documents during testing
- Sharing clipboard content between a computer and phone without cloud sync
- Securely transferring sensitive files within a local network using basic authentication
- Receiving files from mobile devices directly to a computer via command line
- Ad-hoc file sharing in environments where installing mobile apps is restricted
Not Ideal For
- Transferring very large files or batches of files over slow or unstable networks
- Scenarios requiring automated, scheduled file transfers without user intervention
- Teams needing to share files with multiple mobile devices simultaneously in a production environment
- Environments where mobile devices lack a browser or cannot scan QR codes
Pros & Cons
Pros
Uses standard web browsers on iOS and Android, eliminating the need for extra mobile apps as per the project's philosophy of simplicity.
Simple commands like 'sharing /path' immediately start a local server and generate a QR code, demonstrated in the usage examples for fast sharing.
Allows seamless clipboard sharing with the '-c' flag, enabling easy text transfer between devices without manual copying or cloud sync.
Supports basic authentication and SSL for encrypted transfers, providing some security for local network file sharing as highlighted in the key features.
Cons
Requires devices on the same Wi-Fi or manual public IP configuration, which can fail in restricted networks or without proper setup, limiting remote use.
The TODO list admits missing essentials like zipping files before transfer and self-signed certificate creation, indicating the tool isn't fully polished.
MacOS users must use 'easy-sharing' instead of 'sharing', adding complexity and potential confusion, as noted in the README usage instructions.
Lacks automatic file zipping, which could slow down transfers of large directories, a limitation acknowledged in the TODO for future improvements.
Open Source Alternative To
sharing is an open-source alternative to the following products:
AirDrop is a wireless file-sharing feature built into Apple devices that allows users to quickly transfer files between nearby iOS and macOS devices.
Snapdrop is a web-based file-sharing service that uses peer-to-peer WebRTC technology to transfer files directly between devices on the same local network without uploading to servers.
LocalSend is an open-source, cross-platform application for secure file sharing between devices on the same local network without requiring an internet connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
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