Rivet is an open-source toolkit for archiving webpages to IPFS, the InterPlanetary File System, so that saved copies can be stored and retrieved over a decentralized network. It suits developers, researchers and anyone who wants a durable copy of a page that does not depend on one web server staying online. Rivet is free and released under the MIT license.
If you are searching for Rivet for Windows, check the releases page before planning your setup. The latest version is v0.1.3, but the most recent code update dates from May 2023, more than two years ago. The project may not track recent IPFS changes, so treat it as a tool to test and review rather than a long-term production dependency.
What Is Web Archiving on IPFS?
Web pages are fragile. Articles get edited, documentation moves to new addresses and whole sites disappear, a problem often called link rot. Traditional archiving services store copies on their own servers, which means the copy depends on one organization staying in business.
IPFS takes a different approach. Files are identified by a hash of their contents rather than by a server location, so a copy can be retrieved from any peer that holds it. When you archive a webpage to IPFS, you create a snapshot that is addressed by what it contains. If the same content is stored on several nodes, the archive does not disappear when one node goes offline.
This model is useful for researchers citing sources, journalists preserving evidence and developers keeping reference material. It does not replace careful record keeping, but it gives you a second, decentralized place to keep what you saved.
Who Is Rivet for?
Rivet is aimed at people who are comfortable working with files, command lines and developer tools. A researcher might archive a set of government reports so that citations keep working years later. A journalist might preserve a page before an update changes its wording. A developer might build a small script that archives release notes or documentation every time a project publishes a new version.
Casual users who only want to bookmark pages will probably find a browser extension or a hosted archiving service more convenient. Rivet fits better when you want control over the process, want to read the source code and are willing to manage the output yourself.
Because Rivet is a toolkit rather than a polished desktop application, its value depends on how you plan to use it. Think about which pages you need to keep, how often you will archive them and who else needs access to the results before you begin.
How Decentralized Storage Differs from Regular Hosting
In conventional hosting, one company controls the server, the domain and the uptime. In a peer-to-peer system such as IPFS, data can be held by many independent nodes. This reduces dependence on a single provider, but it introduces a different concern: content is only reliably available while someone keeps it online.
This is why the term pinning matters. Pinning tells a node to keep a copy of specific content so it is not removed during routine cleanup. If nobody pins an archive and every node that held it goes offline, the content may become hard to retrieve. Anyone relying on an archive should understand whether they or a service will keep it pinned.
Decentralized storage also changes how you think about updates. An archived page is a fixed snapshot. If the original page changes, you need to archive it again to create a new record, and the two versions will have different identifiers. Keeping that history clear is part of using the tool well.
Key features
Webpage archiving to IPFS
MIT-licensed open source
Built with Go
How to install Rivet on Windows
- 1
Find the official release
Open the project's GitHub repository at github.com/wabarc/rivet and go to the Releases page. Look for the latest version, v0.1.3, and check whether a Windows build is listed. Download only from the official source, meaning the GitHub repository or its Releases page, and avoid mirror sites or file-sharing links.
- 2
Verify the file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published with the release, if one is provided. In PowerShell, run Get-FileHash followed by the file path to calculate it. If the checksums do not match, delete the file and download it again from the official source before running anything.
-
Install and run
Follow the instructions included with the release package. If the release contains an executable, you can place it in a folder of your choice and run it from a terminal window. If no Windows build is available, the program would need to be compiled from source with the Go toolchain, which is a developer task rather than a standard installation.
How to use Rivet
Rivet works from the command line, so the workflow is a little different from a standard Windows application. The steps below describe the general flow for a typical archiving session.
- Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and move to the folder where you placed the Rivet program.
- Run the program's built-in help command to see the options included in your version.
- Choose the webpage you want to preserve and run the archive command with that address, following the syntax shown in the help output.
- Review the output to confirm the archive finished, and copy any identifier the program returns.
- Store the identifier together with the original URL and the date you archived it, so you can find and verify the snapshot later.
Pros & cons
- Free to use and released under the MIT license
- Open source, so the code can be read and audited
- Focused on one clear job: archiving webpages to IPFS
- Written in Go, which suits developers who want to modify it
- Keeps snapshots addressed by content, which helps with link rot
- The latest code update is from May 2023, so it may lag behind recent IPFS changes
- Only version v0.1.3 is listed, with no sign of a frequent release cycle
- The published platforms list Linux, so Windows support should be confirmed on the releases page
- Command-line use is required, which is less friendly for beginners
- Archives are only as durable as the nodes that keep pinning them
Is Rivet safe?
Rivet is a file-handling tool rather than a wallet or a program that manages money, but you should still treat any downloaded executable with care. Get it only from the official GitHub repository or its Releases page, and verify the SHA-256 checksum before running it. If the release does not include a checksum, be extra cautious and consider building from the published source code. Antivirus warnings on unknown executables should be investigated, not ignored. Because the last code update is from May 2023, check the latest version on the official site or repository before using Rivet for important work. Also remember that archiving pages can raise copyright questions, so use archives responsibly.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/wabarc/rivet. 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
Rivet is narrower than most tools in this area. Kubo is the reference IPFS node, meaning it runs the full network stack, and IPFS Desktop puts a node in your system tray for everyday use. Pinner CLI focuses on pinning existing content, while Peergos is an end-to-end encrypted file storage and sharing system. Rivet's distinct role is the webpage-to-IPFS workflow. If you need a node, choose Kubo or IPFS Desktop first and consider Rivet as an additional archiving step. If you only want to store files privately, Peergos fits that goal better. Rivet suits people who want a small, open-source tool specifically for turning pages into IPFS snapshots.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- v0.1.3
- Last update
- 5 May 2023
- Windows support
- Likely (builds for Windows; check releases)
- Source code
- github.com/wabarc/rivet
Frequently asked questions
Rivet is used to archive webpages to IPFS, the InterPlanetary File System. It helps you keep a snapshot of a page on a decentralized network, so the copy does not depend on a single web server staying online. It is most useful for research, reference material and preserving content that may change or disappear.
Yes, Rivet is free to use. It is open source and released under the MIT license, which allows you to use, modify and redistribute the code under the license terms. The source code is available on GitHub, so you can review it yourself before running it.
The published platforms list Linux, and Windows support is not confirmed on the summary page. Check the GitHub Releases page for a Windows build of the latest version. If none is listed, you would need to build the program from source, which requires developer tools.
It is safe when you download it from the official GitHub repository or Releases page and verify the SHA-256 checksum. Avoid third-party download sites. Because the last code update was in May 2023, review the project's activity and check for the latest version before relying on it for important archives.
Open a terminal in the folder containing Rivet, check the built-in help for the correct command syntax, and run the archive command with the webpage address. Review the output to confirm the process finished, then record the returned identifier with the original URL and the date.
The most recent code update is from May 2023, which is more than two years before 2026. The project may receive fewer updates than actively maintained tools, so it is wise to check the repository's activity and issue history. Plan for an alternative if you need guaranteed support or features for recent IPFS versions.
Verdict
Rivet is a focused, free and open-source tool for archiving webpages to IPFS. It suits developers, researchers and technically confident users who want a small, auditable program for preserving web content. Its code update history is older than two years, and Windows support should be confirmed before you rely on it. If you want a supported IPFS node, start with Kubo or IPFS Desktop. If you need Rivet specifically, review the repository, verify your download and test the workflow on non-critical pages first.