Library Genesis

Decentralized Library

History

In 2020 volunteers (as we all are) brought storage decentralization based on IPFS to Library Genesis, and on 17 July 2020 it became a search service on libgen.fun (decentralized-Web link libgen.lib). It was, however, only the first phase. Now, with further astonishing contributions a fully distributed solution is available to the world (find access methods below):

libgen.crypto

It is, in fact, a breakthrough in the field. Decentralization hosted fully on a blockchain and IPFS, and operated from browser via JavaScript. Our talented enthusiast implemented the application code based on the previous fundamental work by phiresky on a virtual file system for SQLite in the read-only regime.

Neither the code, nor database, nor the files, nor even the domain name are hosted centrally in this implementation.

These are different ways to access the same decentralized Web (dWeb) domain identified as libgen.crypto:

• https://libgen-crypto.ipns.dweb.link/ - by now the most universal way with fastest search performance to see the antisite working correctly, rarely fails
• https://dweb.link/ipns/libgen.crypto - another good universal way across browsers and platforms, but sometimes fails
• http://libgen.crypto/ [dWeb] human-friendly domain name; requires resolving software (see below)
• ipns://libgen.crypto/ [dWeb] opens by an IPFS node and gives access directly through IPFS; requires resolving and IPFS-aware software (see below)

Save the above addresses as they are set up to be permanent and unmanned.

Get ready for dWeb!

To get ready for our dWeb applications now and in future, install this bunch of software in the browsers and systems you regularly use. At present, with rare exceptions, dWeb requires additional software. This set is safe, in most cases adjustment-free, takes little disk space, and sets you up for dWeb. The kit below is the most general-purpose and minimalistic to cover a broad range of decentralized systems we are going to use. It is your personal decentralized platform:

• IPFS node: go-ipfs, stand-alone software which allows to open ipfs:// and ipns:// links directly via IPFS without going to the Web
• IPFS Companion for browser: Google Play link, an IPFS node running in browser
• PeerName browser extension: peername.org, resolves some or our dWeb domains (.lib and more)
• Unstoppable Domains browser extension: unstoppabledomains.com/extension, resolves some more of our dWeb domains (.crypto and more)

Browser highlights

You may wish to at least install Brave, and maybe Opera, from this list:

• Brave browser natively resolves some dWeb domains, IPFS links, has built-in TOR Browser, no Chromium tracking code, etc.
• Opera browser natively resolves the same set of dWeb domains, has built-in VPN, and at present works the best on mobile
• Chrome with resolving extensions
• FireFox with resolving extensions
• Edge with resolving extensions
• Kiwi got an upgrade, before which it had been the most equipped dWeb mobile browser via resolving extensions, but, sadly, it has stopped resolving via unstoppabledomains.com/extension. Hopefully, the team finds a solution soon
• Vivaldi, an Opera-like browser, is said to be good, but I have not yet put my fingers sufficiently deep into testing it

Usage remarks ✍

• Use ending wildcard '*' in search to broaden the scope
• When using dWeb links, pay attention to the two critical aspects:
  1. Put http:// as the protocol prefix instead of various https://, ipfs://, or ipns://. The most universal format is http://, since transport-level security (TLS) is not yet fully adopted in dWeb systems (neither it is essential for our applications where a domain name resides on a blockchain and SSL traffic encryption is employed further on)
  2. Always put an ending slash '/' to a URL, for example, the most robust address would look like http://libgen.crypto/ and the same applies to various other dWeb domains we are going to use in future. This allows the browser to always correctly pass the address to extensions
• On mobile only the Kiwi browser, a Chromium fork, accepts arbitrary browser extensions. The other browsers would only work, if they have native support such as Brave or Opera.

Good luck and remember that anything you do with Library Genesis may only be non-profit. Keep your ethical bar high for great common future.

Sincerely Yours,
bookwarrior

Library Genesis
Web | dWeb

2 August 2021