Unhosted.py

This is an HTTP server implementing the bare minimum required for the simple remoteStorage API from unhosted.org.

Hopefully this program will be useful for folks who want to study how the remoteStorage protocol works or as a development tool for people working on Unhosted apps. As Unhosted matures, Unhosted.py will hopefully also mature into a usable personal data-store for people who want to store their Unhosted data on their own devices.

Getting started

Quick-start:

1. Install pagekite.py
2. In a console: pagekite.py --signup
3. Download Unhosted.combined.py
4. In a console: python ./Unhosted.combined.py
5. In another console: pagekite.py 6789 rs-YOURNAME.pagekite.me

You should now be able to use whatever@rs-YOURNAME.pagekite.me as a remoteStorage account.

If you prefer, you can also use Unhosted.py without PageKite, but you will need an SSL enabled reverse HTTP proxy (such as Pound) in order to comply with the protocol. As far as I can tell, hosting on http://localhost/ won't work.

Play!

5apps.com have written a nice Unhosted tutorial and test app which works just fine with Unhosted.py.

Hacking

The file Unhosted.combined.py is combination of Unhosted.py and the HttpdLite.py module it depends on. For hacking, you'll want to check both out from github:

• Unhosted.py
• HttpdLite.py

The combined "binary" is generated using Breeder.

Where is my data?

Unhosted.py stores data in ~/.Unhosted.py/, in a relatively intuitive directory structure:

~/.Unhosted.py/USER/CATEGORY/...

Each data folder will contain some regular files, as well as a file named _RS_METADATA.js. This meta-data file stores "real" names for all keys, mime-types and may store other meta-data in the future.

The meta-data file may also store key values as well, if they are small and do not really "look like a file". This is an optimization to reduce clutter and disk seeks when working with small keys: if the data is large or looks like an independent file, it will be written as such to the filesystem, although the name will probably be sanitized somewhat.

Note that changes to individual _RS_METADATA.js files may be overwritten by Unhosted.py if it is running, as it caches their contents in RAM.

Bugs

• Directory listings do not work yet.
• User names and passwords are ephemeral.
• _RS_METADATA.js could be overwritten by evil apps.
• Saving metadata fails sometimes due to a race condition.