dha-aa/filebeam

FileBeam is a small tool for moving files between a Mac and any phone, tablet, or other computer that shares the same local network, without needing cloud storage or a cable. You start a local server, scan a QR code that appears in the terminal, and then upload or download files from a simple web page opened on the other device. It runs on Node.js version 18 or newer and works by starting an HTTP server on your machine that other devices on the same Wi-Fi network can reach. When it starts, it prints out both a local web address and a QR code, so a phone can scan the code instead of typing a URL by hand. From there, people can drag and drop files to upload them, or browse a shared folder to download files from it. FileBeam can share whichever folder you choose, defaulting to whatever folder you run it from, and it lets you pick a specific port if the default one is already in use. It also supports one-way modes: send-only, where the other device can upload but not browse files, and get-only, where people can download but cannot upload anything. If two files share the same name, FileBeam automatically renames the new one instead of overwriting it. The README also shows how to set up a shell alias so the tool can be launched from anywhere with a single word instead of typing out the full path each time. The project includes a short list of security notes, making clear it is meant only for use on a trusted local network and should never be exposed to the public internet. It blocks path traversal so a client cannot reach files outside the shared folder, and it only allows common file extensions to be uploaded. FileBeam is released under the MIT license, and stopping the server is as simple as pressing Ctrl+C in the terminal where it is running.