TAZ

Temporary Autonomous Zone - A lightweight, cross-platform web-based file manager for instant file sharing and management.

Overview

TAZ is a simple, self-contained web application that allows you to quickly set up a file management interface on any supported device. Perfect for temporary file sharing, collaborative work environments, or when you need instant access to files across different devices on a network.

The Android app provides a comprehensive mobile interface, allowing you to run as a local WiFi access point, connect via BLE discovery, or scan your existing network for peers.

Features

• Web-based interface - Access from any browser
• Full file management - Upload, download, create folders, rename, delete
• PMTiles Viewer - Built-in support for viewing and navigating .pmtiles map files
• BBS messaging system - Optional bulletin board for team communication with audio room capability
• Optional password protection - Secure write operations
• External links - Add custom links to your file manager homepage
• Responsive design - Works on desktop and mobile
• Zero dependencies - Single binary deployment
• Cross-platform - Available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and Android
• Logging support - Optional request logging to file or stderr

Protomaps and MapLibre Integration

TAZ includes a specialized viewer for geospatial data. When a .pmtiles file is detected in the file list:

• Globe Icon: A map icon will appear alongside the standard download one.
• Full-Screen Map: Clicking the globe icon opens a high-performance, full-screen zoomable map interface.
• GPS Integration: The map will automatically center on your current GPS position upon opening, if available.

Android App

Main Menu

The app launches with a dashboard offering five main functions:

1. WiFi Server - Create a local WiFi access point with QR code sharing.
2. Radio Scan - Scan for BLE tags to automatically connect to existing TAZ instances.
3. Network Scan - Scan the local subnet to discover other TAZ nodes running on the network.
4. Settings - Configure app behavior, server name, and security.
5. Open - Open the embedded browser to manage your local files.

Settings

Before choosing an operational mode, you can configure the instance:

• Public - Toggle between public (0.0.0.0) or private (127.0.0.1) access.
• Bluetooth - Enable/disable BLE credential sharing when hosting.
• Name - Set a custom name for your TAZ node (defaults to a random ID).
• Password - Set a password for create/update/delete operations.
• Save & Return - Applies changes and restarts the internal server.

Operational Modes

WiFi Server (Hotspot Mode)

• Creates a temporary local WiFi network.
• Generates a random SSID and Password.
• Displays a status screen with two toggleable QR codes:
  • Show WiFi QR: Scannable credentials to join the network.
  • Show Browser QR: Scannable URL to open the file manager.
• Open Local: A shortcut to open the hosted instance in the internal view.

Radio Scan (BLE Client)

• Scans for Bluetooth Low Energy advertisements from other TAZ servers.
• Automatically receives WiFi credentials and IP information.
• Connects the device to the detected WiFi network and opens the interface.

Network Scan

• Scans the current local subnet (e.g., 192.168.1.x) for port 35248.
• Lists all discovered active TAZ nodes.
• One-tap connection to any discovered node.

Permissions

The Android app requires specific permissions to function:

• Location & Nearby Devices: Required for BLE scanning, WiFi management, and centering the map viewer.
• Audio: Required for the BBS audio room feature.
• WiFi Control: Required to create hotspots and connect to networks.

BBS Messaging System with Audio Room

The BBS (Bulletin Board System) feature provides a simple messaging interface for team communication with added audio capability:

• Audio Room: Special microphone button brings participants to an audio-only room.
• Audio Controls: Participants can enable/disable their microphone at any time.

Console Versions (Linux/macOS/Windows)

Quick Start

1. Download the appropriate binary for your platform from the Releases page.
2. Make it executable (Unix-like systems):

   chmod +x taz

3. Run with default settings:

   ./taz

4. Open your browser to http://localhost:35248.

Basic Usage Examples

Simple file server

./taz -root /path/to/your/files

Password-protected with custom port

./taz -password mypassword -web-port 8080

Full-featured setup

./taz \
  -password secret \
  -url "Documentation|https://example.com/docs" \
  -log \
  -log-file taz.log

Using a Configuration File (-config)

For complex setups, you can manage all command-line options using a JSON configuration file.

To use a configuration file, pass its path to the -config flag:

./taz -config my_settings.json

Example config.json:

{
  "web_host": "0.0.0.0",
  "web_port": 8080,
  "password": "secret",
  "root": "/shared/team-files",
  "log": true,
  "log_file": "taz_access.log",
  "url": [
    "Documentation|https://example.com/docs",
    "Team Chat|https://chat.example.com"
  ]
}

Command Line Options

Option	Default	Description
-name	(empty)	Set the display name for the instance/node
-web-host	localhost	Host address to listen on
-web-port	35248	Port for the web server
-password	(empty)	Password for write operations
-root	files	Root directory for file management
-log	false	Enable request logging
-log-file	(empty)	Path to log file (uses stderr if empty)
-url	(none)	External links (format: Name|URL), can be used multiple times
-config	(empty)	Path to a JSON configuration file

Building from Source

To build the console binary:

git clone https://github.com/eja/taz.git
cd taz
make