Glitter is a cross‑platform, terminal‑based tool for sending files over a local network. It discovers peers automatically, confirms transfers on the receiver, and supports English/Chinese UIs.
- OS support(x86/ARM): Linux, macOS, Windows
- Bilingual UI: English, 中文 (switchable in settings)
- Peer discovery via UDP broadcast + smart replies (or manual IP entry)
- Encrypted transfer (DH key exchange + ChaCha20 stream cipher)
- Device fingerprint verification (TOFU) to flag impersonation attempts
- Integrity check (SHA-256) after receive
- Directory transfer: send entire folders (auto-zipped, zero compression)
- Transfer progress and live throughput (e.g. 1.2 MB/s)
- Transfer history (JSONL) stored under user home
- Settings for language & device name & encryption, clear history
Why Glitter?
Glitter provides a simple, terminal-based alternative to GUI tools and complex protocols:
| Tool | Pros | Cons | Glitter Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| LocalSend | Beautiful GUI, cross-platform | Requires GUI environment, ~100MB+ install | CLI-first: works via SSH, lightweight (<1MB), scriptable |
| Magic Wormhole | Simple one-time codes | Requires relay server, single-file only | LAN-direct: no internet needed, auto-discovery, no codes to type |
| SFTP/SCP | Universal, encrypted | Needs SSH server setup, manual IP entry | Zero-config: auto-discovers peers, no server setup |
| rsync | Powerful sync engine | Complex syntax, requires remote shell access | Interactive: menu-driven, progress bars, history tracking |
| HTTP file server | Simple python -m http.server |
No encryption, manual URL sharing | Secure: DH key exchange + encryption, peer selection UI |
| croc | End-to-end encryption, relay servers, cross-platform | Requires typing codes, internet relay by default | LAN-native: auto-discovery on local network, no codes needed, works offline |
Use Glitter when you want:
- Quick file sharing on LAN without leaving the terminal
- Auto-discovery instead of typing IPs
- Encrypted transfers without complex SSH setup
- Minimal dependencies (pure Python, no external binaries)
- Transfer history and bilingual UI
Quick Start
On first run, Glitter asks for language and device name and saves them. Next runs go straight to the main menu.
- Compilation: binary
- Firewall: Allow UDP 45845 and TCP 45846 (transfer port) for the app if discovery/transfer is blocked.
Run Glitter instantly with uv
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
uv run glitter
Installation
Recommended to install and run via pipx:
apt install pipx# Debian/Ubuntupipx install glitter-cliglitterpipx upgrade glitter-cli# to update
Alternative: install via pip (not recommended)
pip install glitter-cliglitterpip install --upgrade glitter-cli# to update
From source
Requirements: install deps
- Linux/macOS/WSL/Windows (PowerShell/CMD) Run:
git clone https://github.com/scarletkc/glitter.gitpip install -r requirements.txtpython3 -m glittergit pull# to update
Usage
glitter— Launch the interactive menu (list peers, send/receive requests, view history, configure download/encryption/auto-accept modes, etc.).glitter send [-q|--quiet] <peer|IP[:port]> <path>— Send a file or directory directly without the menu (peer ID, device name, or manual IP).glitter peers— List peers currently discovered on the LAN.glitter history [--clear | --export [PATH]] [-q|--quiet]— Print recent transfer history records, clear them instantly, or export them asglitter-history-<count>.txt.glitter settings [--language CODE] [--device-name NAME] [--clear-trust] [-q|--quiet]— Jump straight into the settings menu or apply specific changes (language, device name, trust reset) in one go.glitter update— Check the latest available Glitter version.glitter receive [--mode trusted|all] [--dir PATH] [--port PORT] [--no-encryption] [-q|--quiet]— Run in auto-receive mode (trusted/all) without opening the menu.
Tip: once the initial setup is complete, you can keep Glitter running headlessly with your favourite process manager (systemd, pm2, ...).
Files & Persistence
- Config:
~/.glitter/config.json(language, device name, transfer port, encryption, default receive directory, auto-accept mode) - Trusted fingerprints:
~/.glitter/known_peers.json(peer IDs and fingerprints stored after first approval) - History:
~/.glitter/history.jsonl(one JSON per line) - Default receive folder: configurable; defaults to
~/Downloads/GlitterDownloadson Windows,~/GlitterDownloadselsewhere
Debugging
- Enable verbose IDs in lists by setting env var
GLITTER_DEBUG=1before launch.
License
1 maintainer
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