Peer Web Site is a free, open source tool for Windows that lets web developers, designers and hobbyists publish full HTML, CSS and JavaScript pages to IPFS, the InterPlanetary File System, straight from a browser. It is built around the idea that a site can be served by a network of peers instead of a single server. That makes it a good fit for anyone who wants to experiment with decentralized hosting without renting a server.
The project is licensed under GPL-3.0 and written in JavaScript and TypeScript. Its documentation also lists Linux and a web or browser extension option alongside Windows. One point to keep in mind: the most recent code update in the repository is dated November 2, 2024, so check the activity on GitHub before building anything important on top of it.
What Is Peer-to-Peer Web Hosting and How IPFS Fits In
Traditional web hosting ties a site to a server. A visitor requests a web address, and that particular machine returns the files. If the server goes offline or the hosting account lapses, the site disappears with it.
IPFS takes a different approach. It identifies files by a cryptographic hash of their contents rather than by where they are stored. The same file gets the same address wherever a copy lives, and any peer that holds a copy can serve it to others. Because the address is derived from the content, changing even one character produces a new address.
Peer Web Site applies this model to web pages. The HTML, CSS, JavaScript and attached media files are sent into the network as one unit, so the published site is a collection of content-addressed files rather than a folder on a single host. Understanding this difference helps you set realistic expectations about how and where your pages stay available.
Who Peer Web Site Is For and Where It Fits
The program suits several kinds of people. Front-end developers can prototype static sites and see how they behave when served from a peer network. Musicians and artists can build a simple press page with embedded audio or video that is not tied to one hosting plan.
Event organizers can publish a one-page flyer with schedule details and a media attachment. Educators and archivists can assemble a small collection of documents, images and recordings in a single navigable page. Someone who is simply curious about the decentralized web can use the examples as a hands-on introduction.
Because the pages are built from HTML, CSS and JavaScript, a site that depends on a server-side database or a complex backend would need a different setup. Peer Web Site works best when the content is largely static and the interactivity runs in the visitor's browser.
Key Terms: Content Addressing, Pinning and Persistence
Several terms come up repeatedly when working with IPFS. Content addressing means a file is referenced by its hash, so the reference never points to a different file by accident. A content identifier, often called a CID, is the string that represents that hash.
Pinning means telling a node to keep a copy of a piece of content so it is not discarded. Persistence describes how long content remains reachable. On IPFS, a file stays available as long as at least one node holds it, which is why it is wise to keep your own copies of the source files.
A gateway is a web server that lets ordinary browsers open IPFS content over regular HTTP links. Gateways make published pages easier to reach for people who do not run IPFS software themselves. Knowing these terms makes the rest of the documentation much easier to follow.
Key features
Video Pages on IPFS
Audio Pages With a Live Recording
Interactive Loop Machine Page
Loading a Web Component
Client-Side Application
Service Worker Delivery
Building a Site With Browser Developer Tools
Digital Flyer or Event Page
How to install Peer Web Site on Windows
- 1
Get the program from an official source
Open the Peer Web Site repository at github.com/Weedshaker/PeerWebSite and go to the Releases page, or use the official website if the project links to one. Download the latest release, which is listed as version 0.8.3. Skip mirrors, file-sharing sites and links posted on forums, and download only from the official GitHub repository or the official website.
- 2
Check the file before running it
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of your download with the value published alongside the release, if one is provided. If the project publishes a signature instead, verify that signature. If no checksum or signature is available, treat the file with extra caution and reconsider the download.
- 3
Install or unpack the program
Run the installer or extract the package into a folder of your choice, depending on how the release is packaged. Choose a location you can remember, because you will launch the program from there each time. Keep the original download so you can reinstall without fetching it again.
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Start the program and confirm it works
Launch the application and open one of the built-in examples to make sure the interface loads correctly. If you plan to preview published sites locally, install and start IPFS Desktop as well, since the browser-tools example saves its output there.
How to use Peer Web Site
Start with one of the bundled examples, then change it to match your own content. This keeps you from building everything from scratch while you learn how the pieces fit together.
- Open Peer Web Site and load one of the example pages, such as the video or flyer example.
- Read the HTML, CSS and JavaScript files and note where the page references its images, videos or audio.
- Replace the text, colors and layout with your own content.
- Attach the images, videos or audio files that the page should send along with it.
- Test the page in your browser to confirm that links, media and scripts behave as expected.
- Send the site to the IPFS network from the program.
- Keep the address the program returns, then open the site through IPFS Desktop or a public gateway to confirm it loads.
- Share the address, and keep a local copy of your source files so you can make future edits.
Pros & cons
- Free to use, with no price listed for the program
- Open source under GPL-3.0, so the code can be read, studied and modified
- Bundled examples cover video, audio, interactive pages, client-side apps and flyers
- Runs from a browser, so you can publish pages without setting up a separate web server
- Listed for Windows and Linux, with a web or browser extension option
- The last code update is dated November 2, 2024, so check repository activity before relying on it
- Version 0.8.3 suggests an early-stage project that may still have rough edges
- Windows appears in the documentation, but you should test it yourself before depending on it
- Content published to IPFS is public, and a site stays reachable only while peers keep serving it
Is Peer Web Site safe?
Peer Web Site is free and open source under GPL-3.0, and its code lives on GitHub at github.com/Weedshaker/PeerWebSite. Get the program from that repository or the project's official website, and avoid copies offered on third-party download portals. If the release includes a SHA-256 checksum or a signature, verify the file against it before running anything. Antivirus tools sometimes flag unfamiliar executables; if that happens, check the source and checksum rather than switching protection off. The last code update was November 2, 2024, so review the repository and recent activity before using the program for important work. Publishing a web page should never require a seed phrase or wallet keys, and you should never enter either on a third-party website.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/Weedshaker/PeerWebSite. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Peer Web Site sits in a different corner of the Web3 toolkit than most entries in this catalog. Remix Desktop, Visual Studio Code with Solidity support and Foundry are built around writing, compiling and testing smart contracts. Tenderly CLI focuses on debugging and monitoring those contracts once they are deployed. Alchemy, Infura and QuickNode provide RPC access to blockchain nodes, and Postman helps you test those endpoints. Peer Web Site, by contrast, focuses on publishing static web pages to IPFS. If you need to serve the front end of a decentralized application from a peer network, it is the more relevant choice. For contract logic and blockchain tooling, the programs listed above are the better starting point.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Latest version
- 0.8.3
- Last update
- 2 Nov 2024
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/Weedshaker/PeerWebSite
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Peer Web Site is listed as free. It is released under the GPL-3.0 license, which lets you use, study, change and share the code under that license's terms. Free use does not make a download risk-free, so verify the file before you run it.
Windows is listed as a platform, and the project documentation mentions it. Because that is the main confirmation available, run a test page before relying on the program for real work. Linux and a web or browser extension version are also listed.
The program is open source and hosted on GitHub, so its code can be inspected. Get it from the official repository, check the SHA-256 checksum or signature when one is published, and review the latest update date before trusting it with important content.
IPFS, short for InterPlanetary File System, is a peer-to-peer protocol that stores and serves files by their content hash instead of a fixed server location. Peer Web Site uses it to publish pages so that many peers can serve copies. This approach suits static websites particularly well.
The examples show video, audio and image files attached alongside HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Because the program is built for full HTML sites, you can combine text, styling, scripts and media in one published page. Test larger files before sharing them, since they take longer to publish.
The most recent code update in the repository is dated November 2, 2024, and the latest version is 0.8.3. Check the GitHub activity page for newer commits before starting a project. An older update date does not make the code unusable, but it does mean you should test thoroughly before depending on it.
Basic familiarity with HTML and CSS helps, although the bundled examples let you start by editing existing files. JavaScript knowledge is useful for interactive examples such as the loop machine. Beginners can start with the flyer example and work up to the service worker example.
Verdict
Peer Web Site is a good pick for developers and curious hobbyists who want to learn how static sites can be hosted on IPFS, and it is free under GPL-3.0. It is less suitable for anyone who needs guaranteed uptime or server-side logic. Given the last code update in November 2024, test it carefully and check the latest version, 0.8.3, on the official website before committing to a project.