HTTP Alternatives

HTTP is described as 'Application protocol for distributed, collaborative, and hypermedia information systems.[1] HTTP the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web' and is an website in the file sharing category. There are nine alternatives to HTTP, not only websites but also apps for a variety of platforms, including Mac, Windows, Linux and Self-Hosted apps. The best HTTP alternative is IPFS, which is both free and Open Source. Other great sites and apps similar to HTTP are Hyphanet, ZeroNet, Gemini (protocol) and Gopher.

More about HTTP
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
HTTP alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. IPFS icon

    IPFS

     175 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    IPFS is a global, versioned, peer-to-peer filesystem. It combines ideas from Git, BitTorrent, Kademlia, SFS, and the web. It is like a single bittorrent swarm, exchanging git objects. IPFS provides an interface as simple as the HTTP web, but with permanence built in.

    69 IPFS alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • Firefox
    IPFS screenshot 1
     

    • IPFS is the most popular Windows, Mac, Linux & Self-Hosted alternative to HTTP.

    • IPFS is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to HTTP.

    • IPFS is Free and Open SourceHTTP is also Free and Open Source
  4. ZeroNet icon

    ZeroNet

     126 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    ZeroNet uses cryptography (Bitcoin library) and BitTorrent DHT (centralized trackers) to build a distributed censorship-resistant network.

    30 ZeroNet alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • gevent
    • Self-Hosted
    • NameCoin
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    ZeroNet screenshot 1
     

    • ZeroNet is the most popular Web-based alternative to HTTP.

    • ZeroNet is Free and Open SourceHTTP is also Free and Open Source

  5. Gemini (protocol)

     9 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Gemini is a new application-level internet protocol for the distribution of arbitrary files, with some special consideration for serving a lightweight hypertext format which facilitates linking between files.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Screenshot of official Project Gemini page from Castor browser.
     
  6. Gopher icon

    Gopher

     7 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    is a TCP/IP application layer protocol designed for distributing, searching, and retrieving documents over the Internet.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Using Gopher through Floodgap
     
  7. Hypercore Protocol icon

    Hypercore Protocol

     26 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Hypercore Protocol is a peer-to-peer data network built on the Hypercore logs. Hypercores are signed, append-only logs. They're like lightweight blockchains without the consensus algorithm. As with BitTorrent, as more people "seed" a dataset it will increase the...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Electron / Atom Shell
    • JavaScript
    Hypercore Protocol screenshot 1
     
  9. Solid icon

    Solid

     12 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Solid (derived from "social linked data") is a proposed set of conventions and tools for building decentralized Web applications based on Linked Data principles.

    12 Solid alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
     
  10. Named Data Networking Project icon

    Named Data Networking Project

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Named Data Networking (NDN) is an architectural realization of the broad Information Centric Networking (ICN) vision that enables communications by named, secured data at the network layer.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Linux Mobile
     

    • Named Data Networking Project is the most popular Android & iPhone alternative to HTTP.

    • Named Data Networking Project is Free and Open SourceHTTP is also Free and Open Source
  11. Decentralized Internet icon

    Decentralized Internet

     3 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    This project was created in order to support a new internet. One that is more open, free, and censorship-resistant in comparison to the old internet. An internet that eventually wouldn't need to rely on telecom towers, an outdated grid, or all these other "old...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Self-Hosted
    Decentralized Internet screenshot 1
     
9 of 9 HTTP alternatives