File Sharer

A local network file sharing application with desktop app support. Share files seamlessly between your devices (PC, laptop, phone, tablet) without internet or cloud services.

Features

• Multi-file uploads - Send multiple files at once
• Desktop App - Native Electron application
• Cross-platform - Works on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS
• No mobile installation - Just open a browser
• Auto-discovery - See all connected devices automatically
• Auto-cleanup - Files deleted after transfer or 48 hours
• Modern UI - Clean, responsive interface
• Boot on startup - Optional systemd service for Linux

Quick Start

Option 1: Desktop App (Recommended)

Download

Go to Releases and download the AppImage for Linux or installer for Windows.

Linux (AppImage)

chmod +x File-Sharer-*.AppImage
./File-Sharer-*.AppImage

Windows

Run the installer .exe file.

Option 2: Run from Source

Prerequisites

• Python 3.11+
• Node.js 16+ (for desktop app)

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/file-sharer.git
cd file-sharer

# Install Python dependencies
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Run the backend server
./start_server.sh  # On Windows: start_server.bat

Open http://localhost:8000 in your browser.

Usage

Sending Files

1. Open the app on your device
2. Click "Choose Files" and select one or more files
3. Select the target device from the dropdown
4. Click "Send Files"

Receiving Files

1. Open the app on your device
2. Check the "Available Files" section
3. Click "Download" on any file

Files are automatically deleted after download or after 48 hours.

Desktop App Development

Build from Source

cd electron
npm install
npm run build:appimage  # For AppImage
npm run build:deb       # For .deb package
npm run build:all       # For all Linux formats

Built files will be in electron/dist/

Run in Development Mode

cd electron
npm install
npm start

Ubuntu Installation & Auto-Start

Install on Ubuntu LTS

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/file-sharer.git
cd file-sharer

# Install Python dependencies
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Install the desktop app (if using AppImage)
chmod +x File-Sharer-*.AppImage
sudo mv File-Sharer-*.AppImage /usr/local/bin/file-sharer

Auto-Start on Boot (Systemd Service)

# Edit the service file with your username
sed -i "s/%YOUR_USERNAME%/$USER/g" file-sharer.service

# Copy service file
sudo cp file-sharer.service /etc/systemd/system/

# Enable and start the service
sudo systemctl enable file-sharer.service
sudo systemctl start file-sharer.service

# Check status
sudo systemctl status file-sharer.service

Launch from Applications Menu

# Edit desktop file with your username
sed -i "s/%YOUR_USERNAME%/$USER/g" file-sharer.desktop

# Install desktop entry
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications
cp file-sharer.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/

# Make it executable
chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/file-sharer.desktop

Now you can launch File Sharer from your applications menu!

Start on Demand

# Using the script
cd ~/file-sharer
./start_server.sh

# Or using systemd
sudo systemctl start file-sharer.service

# Or using the AppImage
/usr/local/bin/file-sharer

Network Setup

Find Your Server IP

# Linux
ip addr show | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1

# Windows
ipconfig

# Look for something like: 192.168.1.100

Connect from Other Devices

On your phone/tablet, open a browser and go to:

http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8000

Example: http://192.168.0.26:8000

Firewall Configuration

Linux (UFW):

sudo ufw allow 8000/tcp

Linux (Firewalld):

sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=8000/tcp --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Windows: Go to Windows Defender Firewall → Allow an app → Add port 8000

Security

This app is designed for local network use only.

Built-in security:

• ✅ Temporary file storage
• ✅ Auto-deletion after transfer
• ✅ Local network only (no internet exposure)

⚠️ Do NOT expose to the internet without adding:

• Authentication
• HTTPS/SSL
• Rate limiting

Project Structure

file-sharer/
├── backend/              # Python FastAPI server
│   ├── main.py
│   ├── device_discovery.py
│   └── file_manager.py
├── frontend/             # Web interface
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── styles.css
│   └── app.js
├── electron/             # Desktop app
│   ├── main.js
│   ├── package.json
│   └── error.html
├── uploads/              # Temporary file storage
├── file-sharer.service   # Systemd service file
├── file-sharer.desktop   # Desktop entry
├── requirements.txt      # Python dependencies
└── README.md

Troubleshooting

Can't connect from other devices

• Check firewall settings
• Ensure all devices are on the same WiFi network
• Verify server is running on 0.0.0.0:8000 not 127.0.0.1:8000

Desktop app won't start

• Ensure Python 3 is installed
• Check that port 8000 is available
• Run python3 backend/main.py manually to see errors

Files not appearing

• Click the "Refresh" button
• Check browser console for errors (F12)
• Verify the uploads/ directory exists

Development

Run Backend with Auto-Reload

cd backend
uvicorn main:app --reload --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000

Debug Mode

Press Ctrl+Shift+I in the desktop app to open DevTools.

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Built with FastAPI
• Desktop app powered by Electron
• UI inspired by modern web design principles