Bifrost

Bridge files between your computer and phone via QR code. No cloud, no cables, no apps — just scan and go.

Features

• Two-way transfers — send and receive in the same session
• Directory browsing — serve a folder as a mobile-friendly file picker
• End-to-end encryption — AES-256-GCM with key in the QR code, never sent over the wire
• Zero config — single binary, no setup, no accounts

Install

Download a binary

Grab the latest release for your platform from Releases:

Platform	Binary
Linux (x86_64)	bifrost-linux-amd64
Linux (ARM64)	bifrost-linux-arm64
macOS (Intel)	bifrost-darwin-amd64
macOS (Apple Silicon)	bifrost-darwin-arm64
Windows (x86_64)	bifrost-windows-amd64.exe

# Example: Linux x86_64
curl -LO https://github.com/axiom0x0/bifrost/releases/latest/download/bifrost-linux-amd64
chmod +x bifrost-linux-amd64
sudo mv bifrost-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/bifrost

Go install

go install github.com/axiom0x0/bifrost@latest

Build from source

git clone https://github.com/axiom0x0/bifrost.git
cd bifrost
make install    # builds and installs to ~/.local/bin/bifrost
# or: make all  # cross-compile all platforms into dist/

Usage

Send a file (two-way)

bifrost myfile.gpx
bifrost -f photo.jpg -p 9090

Opens a page with a download button AND an upload form. Your phone can both grab the file and send files back.

Receive files only

bifrost -r
bifrost -r -o ~/Downloads

Opens a mobile-friendly upload page. Scan the QR code, pick files, they land on your computer.

Browse a directory

bifrost -d ~/Photos
bifrost -d /path/to/files -p 9090

Serves a file listing with icons and sizes. Tap any file to download. Upload form included.

Encrypted transfers

Add -e to any mode:

bifrost -e myfile.gpx           # encrypted send
bifrost -e -r                   # encrypted receive
bifrost -e -d ~/Photos          # encrypted browse

Generates a random AES-256-GCM key and embeds it in the QR code's URL fragment (the # part). The key never travels over the network — it lives only in the QR code and your browser's memory. Files are encrypted/decrypted client-side using the Web Crypto API.

Flags

Flag	Description	Default
-f	File to serve (send mode)	—
-r	Receive-only mode	false
-d	Directory to browse and serve	—
-o	Output directory for received files	.
-p	Port to serve on	8888
-e	Enable end-to-end encryption	false
-v	Print version and exit	—

How it works

1. Detects your local network IP
2. Starts an HTTP server with the appropriate mode
3. Generates a QR code pointing to the URL (with encryption key in fragment if -e)
4. Your phone scans the QR code and interacts directly over the LAN

No internet required — works entirely on your local network.

License

MIT