NDN-Forwarder

NDN-Forwarder is a javascript Named Data Networking forwarding daemon for node and the browser (via browserify). Whereas the principle NFD daemon is geared towards infrastructure routing and lends itself to deployment on a per-device basis, this project is aimed towards experimenting with ad-hoc overlay NDN networks for federated apps and services, with an API that lends itself to being included as a routing module within packaged and web applications. This forwarder is built upon NDN-js and uses NDN-tlv wire format.

In addition, while tcp and websocket connections are supported, the forwarder includes and prefers the javascript implimentation of telehash for it's encryption and NAT punching abilities.

Warning: Here Be Dragons

This module is in an early alpha stage of development, and while suitable for experimentation and prototyping, should not yet be used in production code. Pull requests and bug reports are welcome.

Initialization and API

Once initialized, the forwarder listens for managment commands in the "/localhost" namespace, using specially formatted interest messages to manage connections and FIB entries. For a programatic API, use ndn-io. For data storage and publishing, use level-ndn.

Example

var ndnInit = require("ndn-forwarder")
  , io = require("ndn")
  , repo = require("level-ndn")
  , IOoptions = {
    transport: 'websocket' // 'tcp' in node
    host: 'localhost'
    port: 6565 // 6464 for tcp
  }
  , namespace = "your/application/namespace"

function forwarderCallback(self){
  // self == telehash self object

  repo.tangle(namespace, null, null, repoTangleCallback)
  //the 'null' arguments here are for future versions where we allow for various transports to connect with the nfd

}

function repoTangleCallback(){
  repo.init(namespace, repoInitCallback, firstcb)
  //repoInitCallback = a callback executed every time the repo is initialized
  //firstcb = a callback executed the first time the repo is initialized on a machine, useful for importing/migrating data.
}

function repoInitCallback(){
  io.remoteTangle(IOoptions, appBegin)
}

function appBegin(){
  //your forwarder, repository, and io module are all ready to go!
}

ndnInit(forwarderCallback)