mirror of
https://github.com/falk-werner/webfuse
synced 2024-10-27 20:34:10 +00:00
76 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
76 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
[](https://github.com/falk-werner/webfuse/actions/workflows/build.yml)
|
|
|
|
# webfuse
|
|
|
|
webfuse combines libwebsockets and libfuse. It allows to attach a remote filesystem via websockets.
|
|
|
|
## Motivation
|
|
|
|
Many embedded devices, such as smart home or [IoT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things) devices are very limited regarding to their (non-volatile) memory resources. Such devices are typically comprised of an embedded linux and a small web server, providing an interface for maintenance purposes.
|
|
|
|
Some use cases, such as firmware update, require to transfer (larger) files to the device. The firmware file is often stored multiple times on the device:
|
|
|
|
1. cached by the web server, e.g. [lighttpd](https://redmine.lighttpd.net/boards/2/topics/3451)
|
|
2. copied to locally, e.g. /tmp
|
|
3. uncompressed, also to /tmp
|
|
|
|
Techniques like [SquashFS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SquashFS) help to avoid the third step, since the upgrade file can be mounted directly. [RAUC](https://rauc.io/) shows the use of SquashFS within an update facility.
|
|
However at least one (unecessary) copy of the upload file is needed on the device.
|
|
|
|
To avoid Steps 1 and 2, it would be great to keep the update file entirely in web server, just like [NFS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_File_System) or [WebDAV](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WebDAV). Unfortunately, NFS is not based on any protocol, natively usable by a web application. WebDAV is based on HTTP, but it needs a server providing the update file.
|
|
|
|
webfuse solves this problem by using the [WebSocket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebSocket) protocol. The emdedded device runs a service, known as webfuse adapter, awaiting incoming connections, e.g. from a web browser. The browser acts as a file system provider, providing the update file to the device.
|
|
|
|
## Concept
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
With webfuse it is possible to implement remote filesystems based on websockets.
|
|
Therefore, webfuse defined two roles participating in a webfuse connection:
|
|
|
|
- webfuse service
|
|
- webfuse provider
|
|
|
|
### Webfuse Service
|
|
|
|
A `webfuse service` is both,
|
|
- a [websocket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebSocket) service providing the `webfuse` protocol
|
|
- a [fuse](https://github.com/libfuse/libfuse) filesystem attached to a local mountpoint
|
|
|
|
The `webfuse service` awaits incoming connections from a `webfuse provider`. Once connected, it communicates all the filesystem requests originated by the `libfuse` to the connected `webfuse provider` using the `websocket`-based `webfuse protocol`.
|
|
|
|
By doing so, `webfuse` allows to inject a filesystem to a remote device.
|
|
|
|
### Webfuse Provider
|
|
|
|
A `webfuse provider` provides a filesystem to a remote device using the `websocket`-based `webfuse protocol`. Therefore, a `webfuse provider` implements a `websocket` client.
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Similar Projects
|
|
|
|
### Davfs2
|
|
|
|
[davfs2](http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/davfs2) is a Linux file system driver that allows to mount a [WebDAV](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WebDAV) resource. WebDAV is an extension to HTTP/1.1 that allows remote collaborative authoring of Web resources.
|
|
|
|
Unlike webfuse, davfs2 mounts a remote filesystem locally, that is provided by a WebDAV server. In contrast, webfuse starts a server awaiting client connections to attach the remote file system.
|
|
|
|
## Further Documentation
|
|
|
|
- [Build instructions](doc/build.md)
|
|
- [Webfuse command line options](doc/webfuse.md)
|
|
- [Webfuse provider command line options](doc/webfuse_provider.md)
|
|
- [Webfuse Protocol](doc/protocol.md)
|
|
- [Authentication](doc/authentication.md)
|
|
|
|
## webfuse legacy
|
|
|
|
`webfuse2` is a complete re-implementation of the original idea behind `webfuse`. In contrast to the original `webfuse` implementation, `webfuse2` provides also write access to the filesystem and allows to use all standard options of a fuse filesystem.
|
|
|
|
But `webfuse2` marks also some breaking changes:
|
|
|
|
- `webfuse2` uses a new, binary protocol which is not compatible to the JSON-based protocol of legacy `webfuse`
|
|
- `webfuse` does not provide an API nor a library to program against
|
|
_(if you are interested in an API or a library for webfuse2 feel free to create an issue)_
|
|
|
|
When you are interested in the original `webfuse` implementation take a look at this [branch](https://github.com/falk-werner/webfuse/tree/webfuse-legacy).
|