Hello IPFS community. After admiring the IPFS project from afar for some time, last weekend I decided to dive-in and really get my hands dirty.
I’m interested in making an InterGenerational Archive for my family, but took my first baby steps with this app: https://github.com/avdempsey/ipfs-mobile-helper
My objective was to make sharing a file from my iPhone to IPFS as simple as using the share button from anywhere, and with a couple of shortcuts I got there last weekend.
ipfs-mobile-helper is a Go proxy that can be used to remotely control a regular IPFS node or an IPFS cluster. It’s a very “M” MVP right now. I’ve rigged-up the process with an iOS Shortcut that can be triggered on any iOS share button (my objective), SFTPs the file to my remote server where the proxy is running, and then issues a command on the proxy to add it to either my node or my cluster.
Quick demo here: https://youtu.be/_oecLoDLzbY
Running a full node on my mobile device is interesting, but it will be some time before a mobile device is a robust pinner. I can see value in having a “home computer” or something you rent in a rack being your always online agent, and using my mobile device to remote control it.
Next steps:
- The server lets anyone trigger the ‘add’ command. Not great, also, not the end of the world since the file upload is out of band, and any files uploaded are already added.
- Relying on Secure ShellFish to do the file upload is a little gimmicky, but it let me go from ProtoSchool to working app in a weekend (while being an attentive father to a 10 month old). I’m diving back in to iOS development so I can make a proper client.
- Encrypt files
- Pick between private or public clusters
So far, so fun. Would love to chat with others interested in making decentralized web applications, and democratizing technology.