Scuttlebot

Scuttlebot is a decentralized, distributed, p2p, free and open-source database.

Join us in #scuttlebutt on freenode.

What is Secure Scuttlebutt?

Secure Scuttlebutt (SSB) is a data network designed to replace centralized databases on the Web. It uses cryptographic keypairs to gossip unforgeable user-feeds across the network. "Pub" servers aggregate and redistribute the feeds, but SSB has no central authority: every node is equal, and the network is fully open.

What is Phoenix?

Phoenix is a Web UI for public discussion threads. It is the default frontend that ships with scuttlebot.

Installing

Set up a local client, join the network, and post messages. Please post an issue if the following does not work for you.

First install scuttlebot globally:

$ npm install -g scuttlebot

If this gives you a permissions error, fix it using the method here (recommended) or install and run scuttlebot using sudo.

Start your local server:

$ sbot server

Now, in another terminal, issue command:

$ sbot whoami
{
  "id": "wuDDnMxVtk8U9hrueDj/T0itgp5HJZ4ZDEJodTyoMdg=.blake2s",
  "public": "vUadxn7OumI4aaHa3FGNQZ+822rsaPvBeJoM4lQ6ayTZcOHlnb0+u41isdwGQv3t3qw//wvFH6JmeHTpJzmO2w==.k256"
}

The whoami command outputs your id and your public key. There are many other commands listed below.

Web UI

Once the scuttlebot server is running, you can access the Web UI at http://localhost:2000. It will prompt you to setup your new account, then give you instructions on how to join the network. You can follow them or the instructions below.

Joining the Network

Scuttlebot will automatically sync with other computers on your wifi. If you want to reach people outside your local network, you have to use a "pub" server - a scuttlebot instance running on a public static IP.

It's easy to run your own pub server, but life's easier if you can join an existing pub (see the informal registry of pub servers). Ask a pub-owner for an invite, then run the following command. This sends a request to the server and asks it to follow you. You'll see a similar output if you use this command.

$ sbot invite.addMe <invite-code>

[
  {
    "previous": "M9s8ow8TEkVrzrVfdOHs266ABOL58d50TYEduBMYLfM=.blake2s",
    "author": "wuDDnMxVtk8U9hrueDj/T0itgp5HJZ4ZDEJodTyoMdg=.blake2s",
    "sequence": 16,
    "timestamp": 1419570197842,
    "hash": "blake2s",
    "content": {
      "type": "follow",
      "feed": "TNn7v0MsAs8OpQnyRwtsMeROVWGlKnS/ItX966PAWjI=.blake2s",
      "rel": "follows"
    },
    "signature": "6CC1keA+VZJF2vDd2fjwS7ATPdEhSV+IFVaJNobSCkcvS5dz066UR1QNuRzilxlCA1zRo3wDvJm3rIEOWYzQrg==.blake2s.k256"
  },
  {
    "previous": "ylKOsS3KjsKAURQ+U7pDMABnDiMt2xHjpJonzDZCmkw=.blake2s",
    "author": "wuDDnMxVtk8U9hrueDj/T0itgp5HJZ4ZDEJodTyoMdg=.blake2s",
    "sequence": 17,
    "timestamp": 1419570197975,
    "hash": "blake2s",
    "content": {
      "type": "pub",
      "address": "176.58.117.63"
    },
    "signature": "tbGFP/OSLrOxCjXJqjoGNzkpUmFXI4b4pf5t53REEBopDA6XG8oPphC1r3vYKhCvJuLERB8EhvwOs2GNjaOKUA==.blake2s.k256"
  }
]

This has connected to the pub server and used a temporary invite token to tell it to follow you. Now the server will replicate your data for you. If you create your own pub server you can give out your own invite codes.

Running a Pub Server

If you run a pub server - an ordinary machine, except running with a static ip address - then you can give out your own invite codes and help support the network.

Ssh into your server and install scuttlebot:

$ ssh <user>@<host>
$ npm install -g scuttlebot

Run a server like above but with the public ip address of the computer it's running on (using a domain name is also fine):

$ sbot server --host 176.58.117.63

In another terminal, create an invitation:

$ sbot invite.create 100
"176.58.117.63,TNn7v0MsAs8OpQnyRwtsMeROVWGlKnS/ItX966PAWjI=.blake2s,yCHiB1JfBdIEUZEW/eURMRYe64FTTKuj7+F1p/xDrUc="

The number specifies how many times the invite can be used before it expires. Share the code with friends so you can reach each other through your pub.

Control your pub server remotely

Using ssh to manage your pub server can be a pain. Instead you can configure it to do whatever your local key asks.

Add a property to your config file (create one at ~/.ssb/config) if it does not exist.

"master": <your_id>,

To get your id, use whoami command on your local instance. If you would like to have more than one remote master, set master to an array of ids.

Restart your pub server, and now issue commands from your local computer,

$ ssb_host=<pub_ip> sbot whoami
{ "id": <pub server's id>, "public": <pub server's pubkey>}

CLI usage

Start a server

$ sbot server

Then issue commands from another terminal.

Add a simple message (type is required, but freeform):

$ sbot add --type post --text "hello world"

Get your id:

$ sbot whoami

Set your nickname:

$ sbot add --type name --name bob

Follow another user:

$ sbot add --type follow --feed <id> --rel follows

Add a pub server (this is a server you'll connect to replicate with) (if port is the default, :2000, then that can be leftoff):

$ sbot add --type pub --address <domain:port>

Read all messages in order received:

$ sbot log

Configuration

Default configuration should be fine. If you want to know about the details and advanced usage please have a look at ssb-config.