Freenet is a peer-to-peer platform for building decentralized applications that run without servers, using a small-world network organized by location on a ring. It allows developers to deploy apps using familiar tools like Rust and TypeScript, and users access them via browser without tracking or takedown risk.
For the past 5 years or so I've been working on a ground-up redesign of Freenet, my peer-to-peer project from the early 2000s (now renamed Hyphanet).<p>The new Freenet has been up and running since December along with some early applications like River[1], our decentralized group chat and Delta - a decentralized CMS. Users have already started to build their own apps on Freenet including games, and we have some interesting apps in development like Atlas, a search/recommendation engine.<p>Architecturally, this new Freenet is a global, decentralized key-value store where keys are webassembly contracts which define what values (aka "state") are valid for that key, how or when the values can be mutated, and how the state can be efficiently synchronized between peers.<p>We've developed a unique (AFAIK) solution to the consistency problem, every contract must define a "merge" operation for the contract's associated state. This operation must be commutative, meaning that you can merge multiple states in any order and you'll get the same end result.<p>This approach allows state updates to spread through the network like a virus[2], which typically achieves consistent global state in a few seconds or less.<p>Like the world wide web, Freenet applications can be downloaded from the network itself and run in a web browser - similar to single-page apps on the normal web. However, rather than connecting back to an API running in a datacenter, the webapp connects locally to the Freenet peer and interacts with Freenet contracts and delegates over a local websocket connection.<p>If you'd like to try Freenet we have convenient installers for the major desktop OSs but not yet mobile, and you can be chatting with other users on River within seconds[3]. Happy to answer any questions, you're also welcome to read our FAQ[4], or watch a talk I gave back in March[5].<p>[1] <a href="https://github.com/freenet/river" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/freenet/river</a><p>[2] <a href="https://freenet.org/about/news/summary-delta-sync/" rel="nofollow">https://freenet.org/about/news/summary-delta-sync/</a><p>[3] <a href="https://freenet.org/quickstart/" rel="nofollow">https://freenet.org/quickstart/</a><p>[4] <a href="https://freenet.org/faq/" rel="nofollow">https://freenet.org/faq/</a><p>[5] <a href="https://youtu.be/3SxNBz1VTE0" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/3SxNBz1VTE0</a>
# Freenet
Source: [https://freenet.org/](https://freenet.org/)
Freenet is a peer\-to\-peer platform for decentralized applications: communication, collaboration, and commerce without reliance on big tech\. Your computer becomes part of a global network where apps are unstoppable, interoperable, and built on open protocols\.
[Try Freenet](https://freenet.org/quickstart/)
## How Freenet Works
Peers form a small\-world network organized by location on a ring\. Messages find their destination in just a few hops, scaling efficiently to millions of peers – no servers required\.
### For Users
Freenet apps run in your browser and look like normal websites, but they can’t be taken down, don’t track you, and run peer\-to\-peer, not on the cloud\.
[Try it now →](https://freenet.org/quickstart/)
### For Developers
Build apps with familiar tools \(Rust, TypeScript\) that deploy to a global network\. No servers to maintain, no cloud bills, no terms of service\.
[Read the Tutorial →](https://freenet.org/build/manual/tutorial/)
### For Supporters
Freenet is built by a small team, funded through grants and donations\. Your support helps build decentralized internet infrastructure that matters\.
[Support Freenet →](https://freenet.org/donate/)
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