Peergos

Peergos is an open-source, self-hosted web app and server that provides a peer-to-peer encrypted filesystem. It allows users to store, share, and collaborate on files using a decentralized architecture that removes the need for a central authority. The software is deployed as a server and accessed via a web interface, CLI, or fuse/webdav bindings, allowing users to choose their level of trust in the hosting environment.

Beyond file storage, the platform integrates communication tools including a secure messenger, an encrypted email client, and a private social network. It is designed to ensure that users maintain total control over their personal data and friendship graphs, preventing servers from tracking user activity or analyzing metadata. The system aims to create a private web where apps are secure by default and cannot track the end user.

Key features

• End-to-end encryption of files using TweetNaCl on the client side
• Peer-to-peer data storage and routing powered by IPFS
• Fine-grained access control where every write operation is signed
• Cryptographically blinded follow requests to hide social connections
• Support for sharing files via secret links or direct user-to-user sharing
• Client-side key management where private keys never leave the local node
• Ability to run web apps in a sandbox to prevent data exfiltration
• Self-certifying data storage that does not trust the underlying server

The system is built primarily with Java running on the JVM for the server and IPFS layers, while the web interface utilizes Vue.js and cross-compiled JavaScript. It employs a layered architecture that separates the peer-to-peer data layer from the authorization and encryption layers. This design ensures that even if a hosting server is compromised, the data and metadata remain inaccessible to the attacker because the server cannot deduce file sizes or content. The login process uses scrypt to generate symmetric and signing keys, allowing users to access their data from any machine without manually transferring private keys.

Peergos positions itself as a privacy-focused infrastructure for a decentralized web, targeting users who require high security and independence from central certificate authorities.