I am building a file transfer app purpose built for Linux and Android (github.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by Im28xwa@lemdro.id to c/opensource@lemmy.ml

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This is a personal passion project of mine, it is still in its early infancy (many core features are still missing) and the development is slow but deliberate.

why should I care?

if you care about speed and deep integration with the OS this project might be of interest to you.

why?

Wireless file sharing between my devices is still unnecessarily slow, half-baked, and unintuitive. Direct-Share is my attempt to build a file transfer tool that makes local file transfer more seamless than:

Android ↔ Android (Nearby Share / Quick Share)
Apple AirDrop
LocalSend
Blip

…but for Linux desktops and Android phones, using Wi-Fi Direct.

what?

Python, GTK4/Libadwaita on Linux
Kotlin, jetpack compose on Android

if you want to stay up to date with the project or want to know or read more, you can take a look at the GitHub repo

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[-] leadore@lemmy.world 26 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Try KDEConnect (or GSConnect for gnome). Clients for Linux, BSD, Android, Sailfish, iOS, macOS and Windows.

Another option (maybe better, depending on your distro) is Warpinator. Linux, Windows, and Android.

[-] Redjard@reddthat.com 11 points 3 weeks ago

Kdeconnect is usually gonna go over regular wifi or ethernet. So that might go phone to ap to laptop, for twice the wifi hops.
Also means the speed is limited by the router, so modern phones would be slowed by an older access point.
Or by being far from the access point yet close together.

[-] Matty_r@programming.dev 3 points 3 weeks ago

There is a Bluetooth mode available now, says its in beta though

[-] leadore@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Oh I see, thanks. I didn't understand what OP meant by Wi-fi Direct, I was thinking it just meant going over the LAN via the router. So I guess this means a device making itself into a wi-fi hotspot with is own local IP address that can be connected to directly, right?

[-] terabyterex@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago

i thought kde connect worked very well

[-] freeman@feddit.org 16 points 3 weeks ago

not to be a downer, but this makes it look like its not much more than an Idea:

Current status (what works / what doesn't) Connection

Linux → Android (functional in the deprecated version, check deprecated/ directory)
Linux ↔ Linux (not implemented yet)
Android ↔ Android (not implemented yet)

File transfer

Android → Linux
Linux → Android

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

you are right that it does make it look like nothing more than an idea but honestly that's fine by me and maybe I should mention that p2p peer discovery works right now and yeah that's might not be much but well... we all start somewhere, don't we!

[-] jamin@lemmy.zip 8 points 3 weeks ago

Would be nice if done well, I would suggest you post again if you have a usable version (basically a beta) because I for example will not follow a random github repo from a half-baked project that may be abandoned anytime. Even though I woulf look forward to something you described. So dont let this be a downer but post again if you have the core things implemented.

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 weeks ago

Sure thing!

[-] 87Six@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I don't want to take away your steam, but doesn't LocalSend already do that?

https://github.com/localsend/localsend

I'd love it if you contributed instead, if these projects are really interchangable as I think they are.

Love your work anyway!

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 9 points 3 weeks ago

Unfortunately it doesn't, Localsend relies on a WiFi hotspot or AP to transfer files, what I am trying to build uses WiFi Direct (aka WiFi P2P), these two are not interchangeable nor interoperable.

[-] 87Six@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 weeks ago

I deleted that. I read your Goals and I think I understand why they are different now. Cool project

[-] isVeryLoud@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 weeks ago

Why not build that into Localsend instead of developing a separate solution?

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 weeks ago

The honest answer is because I prefer making my own thing for my own exact problem over trying to make someone's else tool do or behave in a way that it is not designed or made for, it is a bit philosophical for me but yeah, I am not willing to put all the effort into something that I see is solving a problem and making compromises and ignoring things in ways I don't agree with, not to mention the UI/UX disagreements I have, if localsend was my thing, it would have been very different from what we have right now.

And also I am doing it in spite, this thing have been bugging me for years and no one is willing to put the time and effort to do it the way I think it should be done so I am doing it myself...

[-] Dr_Vindaloo@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago

LocalSend doesn't use wifi direct which means your devices have to be on the same network for the transfer. WiFi direct is more like AirDrop -- "direct".

[-] unskilled5117@feddit.org 3 points 3 weeks ago

I just wanted to point out the support for Wifi aware for iOS and Android.

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Yep I am aware of it but The thing is Linux doesn't support it yet and most android phones still don't support it yet unlike WiFi Direct, so until that day comes WiFi Direct it is

[-] Katzenmann@feddit.org 1 points 3 weeks ago

Linux supports wifi aware. You can already create aware networks using the iw tool. (you need to check the nl80211.h for programmatic usage)

I don't know about android though it should also support it since newer android devices can also share to apple devices (this was forced by the EU using the DMA)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirDrop#Transfer_between_an_Apple_device_and_select_Androids

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 4 points 3 weeks ago

you are right, linux does support wifi aware although the problem is that afaik Wi-Fi chipset and driver support is still lacking behind so most people can't really create aware networks (I just tried on my machine, I can't)