Docs / Tutorials

A First Session in keibidrop-cli

The terminal client, from start to a pulled file. About 10 minutes.

What we will do

We run the interactive terminal client on one computer and connect it to a peer over the internet. We share a file, pull one back, and exit cleanly. The other computer can run the desktop app or the terminal client; the steps on our side are the same.

What you need

• KeibiDrop installed (macOS, Linux, Windows).
• A peer: a second computer with KeibiDrop, and a way to send its owner a short text (any messenger).
• No FUSE driver is needed for this lesson. We use direct transfers.

Start keibidrop-cli

Open a terminal and run:

keibidrop-cli

The client prints its banner, the version, four paths (config, log, save, mount), and one important line:

Your fingerprint: 6c_RJID9Twnm7o1QtyHgtSPlOjLz74D5a8doUExb-4QhzY_UFl3GWa-o-1tHGktv6U1FLfxvpL1bWixaAO8ayQ

Then the prompt appears:

keibidrop> 

Notice there was no setup. Your identity was created on this first run and will be reused from now on. Press Tab at the prompt: the command names complete themselves.

Exchange fingerprints

Send your fingerprint line to the person at the other computer. Ask for theirs. When it arrives, register it:

keibidrop> register 86-CHARACTER-CODE-FROM-YOUR-PEER

The client confirms the peer is registered. Your peer does the same with your code on their side.

Connect

Both sides now run one command:

keibidrop> connect

Wait a moment. The roles sort themselves out; nobody has to be the server. When the connection is up, check it:

keibidrop> status

The status shows the peer's fingerprint and the connection mode: lan, direct, or bridge. Any of the three is fine; they differ in route, not in security.

Share a file

keibidrop> add /path/to/photo.jpg

The file is now offered to your peer. Confirm what both sides share:

keibidrop> list

The list shows your shared files and the peer's. Ask your peer to add something too, and run list again: their file appears under the remote entries.

Pull a file

Pick a file from the peer's list and pull it. Both arguments are required, the remote name and the local destination:

keibidrop> pull their-file.pdf /tmp/their-file.pdf

For a large file, watch it move:

keibidrop> progress their-file.pdf

The number is percent complete. When it reaches 100, the file is at the path you gave.

Disconnect and exit

keibidrop> disconnect

The client prints a new fingerprint. That is normal: each session identity is fresh, and the next new peer gets the new code. Then leave the client:

keibidrop> exit
Goodbye.

What you learned

• The terminal client is a prompt, not a set of flags. Tab completes commands.
• Pairing is symmetric: both sides register the other's fingerprint and both run connect.
• add, list, pull, progress are the whole transfer vocabulary.
• disconnect rotates your fingerprint; saved contacts keep working.

Where next

• Save the peer and reconnect with one command: Connect two computers.
• Every command, with arguments: keibidrop-cli reference.
• Scripting the same flow without a prompt: Script a file transfer with kd.