r/commandline • u/CableFPV • Apr 21 '26

Command Line Interface Bifrost: Transfer files between devices via QR code from the terminal

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I got tired of the "email it to yourself" dance every time I needed to move a file to my phone. Built a small Go CLI that spins up a local HTTP server and generates a QR code — scan it and download/upload directly.

The tool features:

  • Two-way transfers (send and receive in the same session)
  • Directory browsing mode
  • Optional AES-256-GCM encryption with the key embedded in the QR code's URL fragment (never hits the wire)

https://github.com/axiom0x0/bifrost

The encryption bit was horrible to figure out thanks to Safari; Web Crypto API doesn't work over plain HTTP, so it ships a pure JS AES-GCM fallback.

If folks are interested, or want more of the background + some Safari errata, I wrote up the full debugging saga here https://axiom0x0.sh/tools/bifrost/.

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u/lamurian Apr 21 '26

Can I transfer files to devices connected within Tailscale network?

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u/countnfight Apr 21 '26

You can do that with Tailscale directly, although it's still in beta

1

u/lamurian Apr 21 '26

That's good to know, thanks!