FileZap

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Overview

FileZap is a lightning-fast, secure file sharing tool designed to simplify sharing files across devices and networks. Whether you're transferring files between machines on a local network or sharing with colleagues across the globe, FileZap provides an intuitive CLI and context-menu integration for seamless transfers.

Features

• 🚀 Blazingly Fast: Direct WebSocket transfers at maximum network speeds
• 🔒 Secure Sharing: Optional password protection for sensitive files
• 🌐 Global Access: Automatic tunnel creation for sharing beyond local networks
• 📱 Mobile Friendly: QR codes for easy mobile access
• 🖥️ Context Menu Integration: Right-click to share from Windows Explorer, macOS Finder, or Linux file managers
• 📋 Command-line Interface: Powerful CLI with intuitive commands
• 🔄 No Registration Required: Instant sharing without accounts or sign-ups
• 📊 Status Dashboard: Real-time transfer monitoring via web interface

Installation

FileZap can be installed on Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms using multiple methods.

Prerequisites

• Node.js v14.0.0 or later
• npm v6.0.0 or later

Method 1: Global NPM Installation

The recommended method for most users is to install FileZap globally via npm:

npm install -g filezap

Verify installation worked by running:

filezap --version

Method 2: Local Installation

If you prefer to install FileZap as a project dependency:

# Create a new directory
mkdir my-filezap
cd my-filezap

# Initialize npm project
npm init -y

# Install FileZap locally
npm install filezap

# Run using npx
npx filezap

Method 3: Manual Installation from Source

For developers or users who want the latest features:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourname/filezap.git
cd filezap

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Link the package globally
npm link

# Now you can use FileZap from anywhere
filezap --version

Platform Specific Setup

Windows Setup

1. Launch command prompt or PowerShell as Administrator
2. Install FileZap globally:

   npm install -g filezap

3. Enable context menu integration:

   filezap integrate

4. If you encounter any permission errors, ensure you're running as Administrator

macOS Setup

1. Open Terminal
2. Install FileZap globally:

   npm install -g filezap

3. You may need to provide additional permissions:

   sudo chmod -R 755 $(npm root -g)/filezap

4. Enable Finder integration:

   filezap integrate

5. For macOS Catalina and later, you may need to grant full disk access to Terminal

Linux Setup

1. Open your terminal
2. Install FileZap globally:

   npm install -g filezap

3. Enable file manager integration:

   filezap integrate

4. For Debian/Ubuntu systems, you may need:

   sudo apt-get install xdg-utils

Setting Up Global Sharing (Optional)

For sharing outside your local network, FileZap uses tunneling services:

1. Check tunnel status:

   filezap tunnels

2. If you encounter issues:

   filezap ngrok-diagnose
   filezap ngrok-fix

Verifying Installation

After installation, run a simple diagnostic check:

filezap

You should see information about your system and available commands.

Quick Start

Sharing a File

Method 1: Command Line

filezap send /path/to/yourfile.pdf

Method 2: Context Menu Right-click any file → Select "Share via FileZap"

Method 3: Keyboard Shortcut In terminal, press Ctrl+S or Alt+S and select a file

Receiving a File

Method 1: Use the provided URL Open the URL provided by the sender in your browser

Method 2: Command Line (Local Network)

filezap receive 192.168.1.100 55555 filename.pdf

Method 3: Command Line (Global URL)

filezap get https://shortened-url.com filename.pdf

Architecture

FileZap employs a sophisticated architecture designed for speed, security, and ease of use. This section details the technical underpinnings of the application.

System Architecture Overview

FileZap operates on a hybrid peer-to-peer model with the following components:

┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐
│                 │     │                 │     │                 │
│  Sender Device  │◄────┤  Tunnel Server  │────►│ Receiver Device │
│                 │     │    (Optional)   │     │                 │
└────────┬────────┘     └─────────────────┘     └────────┬────────┘
         │                                               │
         │                                               │
         ▼                                               ▼
┌─────────────────┐                             ┌─────────────────┐
│  Local Server   │                             │  Web Browser/   │
│  (WebSockets)   │◄───────Direct Connection───►│  CLI Client     │
└─────────────────┘                             └─────────────────┘

Key Components

1. Command-Line Interface (CLI)

   • Built with Commander.js
   • Manages user interactions and command processing
   • Implements keyboard shortcuts through readline module

2. File Server

   • Implemented using native Node.js HTTP server and WebSocket server
   • Serves both web interface and handles WebSocket connections
   • Processes file transfers with binary WebSocket messages

3. Tunnel Management

   • Integrates with tunneling services (ngrok/Serveo)
   • Handles URL shortening via TinyURL API
   • Manages tunnel lifecycle and error recovery

4. Shell Integration

   • Platform-specific implementations for Windows/macOS/Linux
   • Windows: Registry modifications for context menu
   • macOS: Automator workflow creation
   • Linux: Nautilus scripts and desktop entries

5. Web Interface

   • Responsive HTML/CSS design
   • QR code generation for mobile access
   • Real-time status updates via polling

Data Flow

1. Initialization Phase

   • Application starts, detects platform, and configures environment
   • Command parser interprets user intent
   • Server component initializes on available ports

2. Connection Phase

   • For local sharing: WebSocket server starts on random available port
   • For global sharing: Tunnel established to local port
   • Authentication layer activated if password protection enabled

3. Transfer Phase

   • Binary data transmitted via WebSocket protocol
   • Progress monitoring and speed calculation
   • Integrity verification upon completion

4. Termination Phase

   • Resources cleaned up (tunnels closed, ports released)
   • Transfer statistics logged
   • Success/failure notification delivered

Security Model

FileZap implements several security measures:

1. Password Protection

   • Optional per-file password protection
   • Password never stored in logs or transmitted in clear text
   • Auto-generation of strong passwords when using secure mode

2. Temporary Links

   • All sharing sessions have a default 30-minute expiration
   • One-time tunnels created per session
   • Server automatically shuts down after timeout

3. Local Storage

   • Downloaded files stored in user-specific directories
   • Path traversal protection implemented
   • Automatic file renaming to prevent overwrites

Network Architecture

FileZap optimizes network connectivity through:

1. IP Address Prioritization

   • Smart ranking of network interfaces to determine primary IP
   • Deprioritization of virtual adapters and Docker interfaces
   • Fallback mechanisms when preferred interfaces unavailable

2. Port Management

   • Dynamic port allocation to avoid conflicts
   • Separate ports for WebSocket and HTTP servers
   • Port availability checking before server initialization

3. Browser Integration

   • Platform-specific browser launching techniques
   • Multiple fallback mechanisms for browser opening
   • Multiple connection methods (direct URL, QR code, command line)

File System Integration

The application interacts with the host file system through:

1. Path Normalization

   • Cross-platform path handling
   • Support for spaces, special characters, and Unicode in filenames
   • Handling of Windows-specific path issues (quotes, UNC paths)

2. File Discovery

   • File dialog integration for interactive selection
   • Drag-and-drop support via command-line argument processing
   • Context menu integration for right-click sharing

3. File Storage

   • Configurable download location (defaults to ~/.filezap/shared/username)
   • Automatic directory creation if not present
   • Collision detection and unique filename generation

Troubleshooting & Diagnostics

FileZap includes comprehensive diagnostic capabilities:

1. Logging System

   • Debug logs with verbose option
   • Log rotation and management
   • Error categorization and reporting

2. Tunnel Diagnostics

   • Tunnel connection testing
   • Auto-repair for common tunnel issues
   • Alternative tunnel providers when primary fails

3. Network Diagnostics

   • IP detection verification
   • Connectivity testing
   • Port availability checking

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Issue: Browser doesn't open automatically

• Solution: Copy the URL shown in the terminal and paste it manually into your browser
• Fix: Ensure your system allows applications to open browsers

Issue: "Failed to install shell integration"

• Solution: Run the application with administrator/root privileges
• Fix: sudo filezap integrate on macOS/Linux or run as Administrator on Windows

Issue: "Cannot establish tunnel"

• Solution: Check your internet connection and firewall settings
• Diagnosis: Run filezap ngrok-diagnose to identify issues
• Fix: Run filezap ngrok-fix to attempt automatic repair

Issue: "File not found" when the file exists

• Solution: Use simple paths without special characters
• Fix: Move file to a directory with a simpler path and try again

Diagnostics

For more detailed diagnostics:

# Check tunnel status
filezap tunnels

# Run ngrok diagnostics
filezap ngrok-diagnose

# Fix common issues
filezap ngrok-fix

# See active connections
filezap list

Project Structure

If contributing to FileZap, you should be familiar with the project structure:

filezap/
├── bin/                  # Executable entry points
│   ├── cpd.js            # Legacy entry point
│   └── filezap.js        # Main entry point with keyboard shortcuts
├── commander/            # Command modules
│   ├── commands.js       # Command definitions
│   └── utils/            # Command utilities
├── src/                  # Core functionality
│   ├── client.js         # File receiver
│   └── server.js         # File sharing server
├── utils/                # Shared utilities
│   ├── logger.js         # Logging functionality
│   ├── ngrokDiagnostics.js # Tunnel diagnostics
│   └── tunnelProviders.js  # Tunnel management
└── README.md             # This documentation

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! To contribute:

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

License

MIT License