DFS

Overview

The DFS (Distributed File System) project is a peer-to-peer file sharing system with two main components:

1. DFS Engine: The core backend system that handles file distribution and peer management.
2. Client UI: A web-based interface for interacting with the DFS Engine.

Project Structure

• dfs-engine/: Contains the Rust-based backend implementation.
• client-ui/: Contains the React-based frontend implementation.

Current Features

DFS Engine

1. Peer-to-peer file sharing and synchronization.
2. REST API endpoints for file upload, download, and peer management.
3. Distributed Hash Table (DHT) for file location tracking.
4. TCP-based communication for peer-to-peer messaging.
5. Efficient message serialization using bincode.

Client UI

1. File upload interface.
2. File listing and download functionality.
3. Peer management interface.
4. Node uptime display.

Workflow Descriptions

Network Node Operations (DFS Engine)

1. Node Initialization:
   • Creates an empty FileSystem.
   • Initializes an empty peer list.
   • Sets up DHT and uptime counter.
   • Starts a TCP listener for peer connections.
2. Peer Synchronization:
   • Requests peer file lists and exchanges missing files.
   • Updates the DHT with new file locations.

File Operations

1. File Upload:
   • Splits files into chunks, hashes them, and distributes them across the network.
2. File Download:
   • Retrieves file chunks from peers and reassembles them.
3. File Deletion:
   • Removes file metadata and notifies peers.

Next Steps

Frontend Development (client-ui/)

1. Implement WebSockets for Real-Time Updates:

   • Establish a WebSocket connection with the backend.
   • Use WebSockets to receive real-time updates for file uploads, peer additions, and synchronization events.

2. Enhance Error Management:

   • Display user-friendly error messages for failed API calls (e.g., file not found, invalid peer address).
   • Add retry mechanisms for transient errors.
   • Handle WebSocket connection errors gracefully (e.g., reconnection attempts).

Backend Development (dfs-engine/)

1. Set Up WebSocket Server:

   • Add a WebSocket server to the existing backend to enable real-time communication.
   • Broadcast events like file uploads, deletions, and peer additions to connected clients.

2. Improve Error Management:

   • Ensure proper error handling for REST API endpoints (e.g., invalid input, internal server errors).
   • Return descriptive error messages to the client.
   • Add logging for better debugging and monitoring.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Ensure Rust and Cargo are installed for the backend.
• Ensure Node.js and npm/yarn are installed for the frontend.

Setup

DFS Engine

1. Navigate to the dfs/ directory:

   cd dfs/
   ./run.sh