My OSS P2P file transfer tool for learning Next.js (as a C++ dev)
Hey HN, I'm a C++ algorithms engineer, and today I'd like to share my first full-stack web project: PrivyDrop. This project was born from two ideas: First, I wanted to solve a daily annoyance of mine: I needed a simple, AirDrop-like way to send text, links, or screenshots between my phone and PC. I tried many tools, but they either required me to sign up, had various limitations, or uploaded my data to their servers, which I was never comfortable with. Second, this was a personal experiment. Last year, with all the talk about "AI replacing programmers," I got curious. As a developer with no…
In plain words
PrivyDrop is a peer-to-peer file transfer tool that lets users send text, links, and screenshots between devices without signing up or uploading data to external servers. Built by a C++ developer learning full-stack web development with Next.js, it provides a simple, local alternative to cloud-based file-sharing services. The tool keeps all transfers private by operating directly between connected devices.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hey HN, I'm a C++ algorithms engineer, and today I'd like to share my first full-stack web project: PrivyDrop. This project was born from two ideas: First, I wanted to solve a daily annoyance of mine: I needed a simple, AirDrop-like way to send text, links, or screenshots between my phone and PC. I tried many tools, but they either required me to sign up, had various limitations, or uploaded my data to their servers, which I was never comfortable with. Second, this was a personal experiment. Last year, with all the talk about "AI replacing programmers," I got curious. As a developer with no web background, I wanted to see how long it would take to learn full-stack development from scratch (an area I'm really interested in) and build a complete application, using AI as my primary coding partner and mentor. PrivyDrop is the result of that learning and experiment. It's a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing tool based on WebRTC. Its core principle is that *your data belongs only to you*: all files and text are transferred directly between your browser and the recipient's, fully end-to-end encrypted, without ever passing through an intermediate server. *Here are some of its key features:* * Completely free and open-source, with no ads. * No sign-up or installation required—just open your browser. * Direct P2P connection for privacy, security, and speed. * No limits on file size or type. * Support for entire folder transfers. * Built-in resumable transfers. The whole process has been a fantastic learning journey. I'm sharing it now in the hope that it can solve the same pain point for others. I'm really eager to hear any feedback, ideas, or even harsh criticism from the HN community! * *Live Demo:* https://www.privydrop.app * *GitHub Repo:* https://github.com/david-bai00/PrivyDrop Thanks, everyone!
Does the same job
all alternatives →- HCHTML5 clone of OS X AirDrop – Easy P2P file transfers in a browser2014 · sharedrop.io · ▲165
- SDSendfiles.dev – quick, secure P2P file transfer using WebRTC2021 · sendfiles.dev · ▲43
- SESendRail - Easy P2P File Transfer From The Desktop2012 · sendrail.com · ▲76
- DPDirtyShare, Pure JavaScript P2P File Sharing (in Node.js + Socket.io)2012 · gun.io · ▲75
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