PairDrop
Local file sharing — AirDrop alternative for cross-platform networks.
Overview
PairDrop is a self-hosted Progressive Web App (PWA) for local file sharing. It uses WebRTC for peer-to-peer transfers and works across:
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- iOS, Android
- Any device with a browser
No accounts, no cloud uploads — files transfer directly between devices on your LAN.
Architecture
Namespace: pairdrop-space
Replicas: 1
Image: lscr.io/linuxserver/pairdrop:latest
Port: 3000 (NodePort 30000)
Storage: None (stateless)
Security Context
securityContext:
runAsNonRoot: true
runAsUser: 1000
runAsGroup: 1000
Runs as non-root user (UID 1000) — minimal attack surface.
Manifest Structure
Apps/pairdrop/base/
├── kustomization.yaml
├── namespace.yaml
├── deployment.yaml
└── service.yaml
Key Files
deployment.yaml:
containers:
- name: pairdrop
image: lscr.io/linuxserver/pairdrop:latest
env:
- name: PUID
value: "1000"
- name: PGID
value: "1000"
- name: TZ
value: "America/New_York"
ports:
- containerPort: 3000
service.yaml:
type: NodePort
ports:
- port: 3000
nodePort: 30000
Deployment
# Apply via kubectl
kubectl apply -k Apps/pairdrop/base/
# Or via ArgoCD
argocd app sync pairdrop
Access
After deploy, access at:
http://<node-ip>:30000
All devices on your LAN can visit this URL to share files.
Why This Design?
Decisions
| Decision | Rationale |
|---|---|
| NodePort | Simple, no ingress needed for LAN-only service |
| Stateless | No PVC — app is ephemeral, no data to persist |
| Non-root | Security best practice, reduces container escape risk |
| LinuxServer image | Actively maintained, handles permissions automatically |
Trade-offs
- Pro: Zero maintenance, just works
- Con: NodePort exposes to entire network (acceptable for LAN)
Lessons Learned
What worked: PairDrop is production-ready — minimal config, reliable transfers.
What I’d improve: Add ingress with TLS for HTTPS (currently HTTP only).
Related
- Minecraft — Another NodePort service
- nginx-proxy-manager — Add HTTPS termination