Pourtle

Instantly share files, photos, and more between your devices

Pourtle is a peer-to-peer file sharing web application that enables direct, secure file transfers between devices without uploads, cloud storage, or user accounts. Simply visit pourtle.com, get a 6-digit session code, and start sharing.

Features

• Peer-to-Peer Transfer - Files go directly between your devices, never touching our servers
• Zero Installation - Works in any modern browser on phones, tablets, and computers
• Private & Secure - Your files never leave your devices during transfer
• Cross-Platform - Share between iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux
• Simple UX - Just a 6-digit code to connect devices
• Multiple File Types - Images, videos, PDFs, documents, and clipboard content
• Live Preview - View files before downloading
• Real-time - Instant transfer with progress tracking

How It Works

1. Device A visits pourtle.com and gets a 6-digit session code
2. Device B enters that code on pourtle.com
3. Devices connect directly using WebRTC technology
4. Share files, photos, text, or clipboard content instantly
5. Files transfer directly between devices (no cloud upload/download)

The connection works on the same network (WiFi) or across the internet through NAT traversal.

Architecture

Pourtle consists of two main components:

Web Application (apps/web/)

• React 19 single-page application
• Material-UI for responsive design
• WebRTC for peer-to-peer data channels
• Deployed to AWS S3 + CloudFront
• Custom file chunking and transfer protocol
• Support for drag & drop, clipboard, and file previews

Signaling Service (services/signaling/)

• AWS Lambda + API Gateway WebSocket service
• DynamoDB for temporary session storage
• Facilitates WebRTC handshake between devices
• Generates session codes and manages peer pairing
• Sessions auto-expire for privacy

┌─────────────┐    WebRTC Data Channel    ┌─────────────┐
│   Device A  │◄─────────────────────────►│   Device B  │
└─────────────┘                           └─────────────┘
       │                                         │
       │          AWS Signaling Service          │
       └─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┘
                     │             │
              ┌──────────────┐ ┌─────────┐
              │   Lambda +   │ │ DynamoDB│
              │ API Gateway  │ │Sessions │
              └──────────────┘ └─────────┘

Development

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ and Yarn (for web app)
• Python 3.10+ (for signaling service)
• AWS CLI configured (for deployment)

Running Locally

Web Application:

cd apps/web
yarn install
yarn start
# Visit http://localhost:3000

Signaling Service:

cd services/signaling  
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -e .
# Configure AWS credentials and deploy via CloudFormation

Deployment

Both components include CloudFormation templates for one-click AWS deployment:

• Web App: apps/web/cloudformation.yaml → S3 + CloudFront + Custom Domain
• Signaling Service: services/signaling/cloudformation.yaml → Lambda + API Gateway + DynamoDB

Technology Stack

Frontend:

• React 19, Material-UI, WebRTC APIs
• File chunking, drag & drop, clipboard integration
• React Context for state management
• Service workers for file handling

Backend:

• AWS Lambda (Python), API Gateway WebSockets
• DynamoDB with TTL for session cleanup
• CloudFormation for infrastructure-as-code

DevOps:

• GitHub Actions for CI/CD
• CloudFront CDN for global distribution
• S3 static site hosting

Why Pourtle?

Most file sharing solutions require:

• Uploading to cloud storage
• User accounts and sign-ins
• App downloads and installations
• Trusting third parties with your data

Pourtle eliminates all of these by connecting your devices directly. Your files stay private, transfers are instant, and there's zero setup required.

License

This project is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). See the LICENSE.txt file for more information.

Visit pourtle.com to try it out!