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outlinefoundation/outline-apps

★ 9,151TypeScriptAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

TLDR

Two open source apps from Google's Jigsaw lab, a desktop VPN server manager and a cross-platform client, that make it easy to set up and share private VPN access to bypass internet censorship.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Outline apps))
    What it does
      Personal VPN setup
      Bypass censorship
    Two apps
      Outline Manager
      Outline Client
    Platforms
      Windows macOS Linux
      iOS and Android
    Use cases
      Share VPN access
      Bypass restrictions
      Help at-risk users
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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Set up a personal VPN server and share access links with friends or colleagues using Outline Manager on your desktop.

USE CASE 2

Connect to a shared Outline VPN server on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android to access blocked websites.

USE CASE 3

Help journalists, activists, or colleagues in censored regions access the open internet without technical knowledge.

Tech stack

TypeScriptElectronShadowsocksAndroidiOS

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 30min

End users just install the client and paste an access link, server setup requires a cloud VPS or dedicated server.

In plain English

Outline is a pair of apps built by Jigsaw, a technology incubator inside Google, that makes it straightforward to set up and share a personal VPN. A VPN, or virtual private network, is a tool that routes your internet traffic through a server you control, which can help people in countries with internet censorship access blocked websites and services. The project has two separate pieces that work together. Outline Manager is a desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux that lets someone set up their own VPN server. Once the server is running, the manager generates shareable access links that can be sent to other people. Outline Client is the other piece: a separate app for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android that takes one of those access links and connects to the server. The client is also compatible with Shadowsocks, which is an existing open source protocol commonly used to bypass internet restrictions. The intended flow is that one person, perhaps a journalist, an organization, or a technically capable friend, runs the manager to create a server. That person then shares access with others who install the client and connect. Neither party needs to understand how VPNs work at a technical level. Both apps are open source and the code lives in this repository. The manager code is in the server_manager folder and the client code is in the client folder, each with its own more detailed README for developers who want to contribute or build from source. The project is backed by Jigsaw and is aimed at helping people in places where internet access is restricted. A community forum exists via the Internet Freedom Festival's Mattermost platform for those who want to get involved.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Walk me through installing Outline Manager on macOS and setting up a VPN server so I can share access with my team.
Prompt 2
How do I connect to an Outline VPN server on my iPhone using an access link someone shared with me?
Prompt 3
I want to contribute to outline-apps. How do I build the Outline Client from source on Linux?
Prompt 4
What is Shadowsocks and why does the Outline Client support it? How does it differ from a standard VPN protocol?
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