FileBeam

Share files between your Mac and any phone, tablet, or computer on the same local network. Start the server, scan the QR code, and upload or download files from a clean web UI.

Features

• Upload files from any device via drag-and-drop or file picker
• Browse and download files from the shared folder
• QR code in the terminal for quick mobile access
• Send-only or get-only modes for one-way sharing
• Automatic rename when a file with the same name already exists

Requirements

• Node.js 18 or newer
• Devices must be on the same Wi‑Fi / local network

Installation

git clone git@github.com:dha-aa/filebeam.git
cd filebeam
npm install

Usage

Start the server in the current directory:

npm start

Or run it directly:

node server.js

Share a specific folder:

node server.js ~/Downloads
node server.js -d ~/Documents

Use a custom port:

node server.js -p 8080

When the server starts, it prints a local URL and a QR code. Open the URL on another device to send or receive files.

Shell alias

Add this to your ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bashrc) so you can run FileBeam from anywhere:

alias server="node /Users/dha/Code/Server/server.js"

Reload your shell:

source ~/.zshrc

Then use it like this:

server                  # share current directory on port 3000
server ~/Downloads      # share Downloads
server -p 8080          # use port 8080
server -s ~/Desktop     # send-only mode
server -g               # get-only mode
server -h               # show help

Arguments

Flag	Long form	Description
-p	--port <number>	Port to listen on (default: 3000)
-d	--dir <path>	Directory to share (default: current working directory)
-s	--send-only	Upload only — hides the file browser on clients
-g	--get-only	Download only — disables uploads
-h	--help	Show help message

You can also pass the directory as a positional argument instead of using -d:

node server.js ~/Pictures

Examples

# Share the current folder
node server.js

# Share Downloads on port 8080
node server.js -p 8080 ~/Downloads

# Let phones upload to Desktop, but not browse files
node server.js -s ~/Desktop

# Let others download files, but not upload
node server.js -g ~/Documents

How it works

1. FileBeam starts a local HTTP server bound to 0.0.0.0.
2. Your Mac’s LAN IP and port are shown in the terminal, along with a QR code.
3. Other devices open that URL in a browser.
4. Uploads go to the selected folder (or a subfolder you navigate to in the UI).
5. Downloads are served from the shared directory tree (up to 3 levels deep).

Press Ctrl+C in the terminal to stop the server.

Security notes

• FileBeam is intended for trusted local networks only.
• Do not expose it to the public internet.
• Only common file extensions are allowed for uploads.
• Path traversal is blocked — clients cannot access files outside the shared directory.

License

MIT