User:Neustradamus/Localhost (software)

Localhost is a software program that facilitates access to a peer-to-peer virtual file system via the BitTorrent protocol. The developer stopped work on the project in 2006. Nobody has taken over the project although it is available from the original author. The program is a modification of Azureus version 2.3.0.4 and the two are backwards compatible. The software was created at Melbourne University for a Thesis.

Localhost uses a DHT protocol called Kademlia to connect to peers that are running Localhost. Each peer has an index of directories and files that it shares with peers that it is connected to. No one peer is responsible for storing the entire directory structure, it is distributed among everyone. It is collaboratively maintained, edited and built upon by all users in a popularity based system.

The virtual file-system is viewed in a Web browser as an XML document. The user activates the browser and waits for Localhost to connect to peers. When connected, Localhost reads the hierarchical directory structure from peers. The virtual file system is then viewable in the user's Web browser at http://localhost:8880/.