MagnetDrop - Secure P2P File Sharing

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A lightweight, privacy-focused web app for instant, ephemeral P2P file sharing using magnet links. Share audio, videos, images, or any files peer-to-peer without uploading to servers—links auto-expire in 1 minute for zero traces. Built with Node.js, Express, and WebSockets for real-time magic.

Why MagnetDrop? In a world of bloated cloud services, MagnetDrop keeps it simple: Select files client-side, generate a torrent magnet, share a short URL, and let P2P do the rest. Perfect for quick, secure drops like a video clip in a chat or a photo album that vanishes fast.

🚀 Features

• Client-Side Magnet Generation: Choose files (audio, video, images, etc.)—no server uploads; bundles multiples into one magnet.
• Ultra-Ephemeral Links: Short URLs expire in 60 seconds—in-memory storage means no logs or persistence.
• Real-Time Sharing: WebSockets for instant responses—no page reloads.
• Smart Validation & Safety: Regex checks magnets; rate-limited (10/min) to prevent spam.
• P2P-Ready: Recipients get the full magnet for direct torrent streaming in apps like qBittorrent or uTorrent.
• Media-Optimized: Handles audio/video/images seamlessly; unlimited size via torrents.
• Self-Hostable: Runs locally or on free platforms like Render.

Pro Tip: For playlists or folders, select multiple files—they bundle into a single share.

📖 How It Works

MagnetDrop is a "spark" for P2P torrents: It generates and shortens magnet links client-side, then serves them temporarily via a Node.js server. The real transfer? Pure peer-to-peer—no central storage.

Step-by-Step Flow

1. Setup & Connect: Open index.html in your browser—it auto-connects to the WebSocket server (ws://localhost:3000).
2. Select Files: Use the "Choose Files" button to pick media (e.g., MP4 video, MP3 audio, JPG images). The frontend (via libraries like WebTorrent) creates a magnet link locally—no data leaves your device.
3. Share Instantly: Click "Share"—WebSocket sends the magnet to the server for validation.
4. Get Short Link: Server generates a random 6-char ID (e.g., /share/a1b2c3), stores it in a Map with 1-min expiry, and replies with the URL.
5. Distribute: Copy the short URL and send it (e.g., via chat). It works locally or deployed.
6. Recipient Retrieves: They visit the URL—server redirects to /?magnet=... (encoded), auto-opening the magnet in their torrent client for P2P download/stream.
7. Auto-Cleanup: After 1 minute, the link 404s ("File not found or expired"). No traces—restart the server, and it's all gone.

Tech Stack

• Backend: Node.js + Express (HTTP), ws (WebSockets), crypto (ID gen), express-rate-limit (safety).
• Frontend: Static HTML/JS with file input; inferred WebTorrent for magnet creation (add via CDN for full support).
• Storage: In-memory Map—ephemeral by design.
• Ports: Defaults to 3000; env var PORT for deployment.

Behind the Scenes Diagram (Text-Based):

[User Browser] --WebSocket--> [Node Server (Map: ID -> {magnet, expiry})]
  |                                       |
  v                                       v
[File Select] -> [Generate Magnet] -> [Validate & Shorten] -> [Short URL]
  |                                                                 |
  v                                                                 v
[Copy/Share]                                                  [Visit -> Redirect to Magnet -> P2P in Torrent App]
  |                                                                 |
  └─────────────── 1-min Timeout ───────────────┘                  └────────────── Seeder Online ───────────────┘

🛠️ Installation & Setup

1. Prerequisites: Node.js (v18+).
2. Clone/Setup:

   clone the repo  
   cd magnetdrop
   npm init -y
   npm install express ws crypto express-rate-limit
   

3. Run:

   node server.js
   

   • Server starts on http://localhost:3000.
   • Open in browser: Loads public/index.html.
4. Deploy: Push to Render/Vercel—set PORT env. Uncomment production URL in server.js.

Note: Add WebTorrent CDN to index.html for client-side magnet gen:

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/webtorrent@latest/webtorrent.min.js"></script>

📱 Usage

• Sharing: Load page → Choose files → Share → Copy URL.
• Receiving: Paste URL → Auto-redirects to magnet → Open in torrent client.
• Customization: Edit LINK_EXPIRY_TIME in server.js for longer expiry.

Edge Cases:

• Invalid magnet? Error via WebSocket.
• Expired? 404 page.
• Offline? Fallback to HTTP for retrieval.

🤝 Comparisons with Other Services

MagnetDrop's niche: Magnet-based, 1-min ephemeral P2P—beats others for traceless media shares. Quick 2025 snapshot:

Feature	MagnetDrop	FilePizza	Send Anywhere	ShareDrop	ToffeeShare	Wormhole
P2P Method	Torrent magnets (client)	WebRTC torrents	Key-based P2P/relay	WebRTC local	E2E encrypted P2P	E2E links (P2P optional)
Expiry	1 min (ultra-short)	None (manual)	Up to 48 hrs	One-time	Custom/password	1 day (self-destruct)
File Size	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited (network)	Unlimited	10 GB free
Privacy	In-memory; no logs	Direct P2P; encrypted	Encrypted access	Encrypted	E2E; no server	Zero-knowledge
Upload?	No (client-only)	No	No (P2P)	No	No	No
Pricing	Free (open-source)	Free	Free/Pro $5.99/mo	Free	Free	Free/Teams $10/mo
Best For	Quick torrent media	Browser torrents	Cross-device	Local drops	Password temp files	Secure one-offs

Insights: MagnetDrop wins on privacy speed (faster than FilePizza's handshakes). Use Send Anywhere for global reliability; ToffeeShare for flexible expiry.

❓ FAQ

• Supports audio/video/images? Yes—client-side magnet bundles them for P2P streaming.
• Why 1-min expiry? For max privacy; tweak LINK_EXPIRY_TIME for more.
• Big files? Unlimited—torrents handle it; you seed while they download.
• Secure? Random IDs, validation, no storage—but magnets are public, so share wisely.
• Link expires mid-download? Short URL dies, but full magnet persists via P2P if you're seeding.
• Run it? See Installation; needs torrent client for receiving.

Why Choose It? Zero-overhead P2P "burner links"—fast, free, and forgettable. Tired of upload waits? This is your spark.

🤝 Contributing

Fork, tweak, PR! Issues welcome.

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Built with ❤️ for you. Questions? Open an issue or hit the GitHub star! 🌟