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croc

Sends files and folders between two computers, encrypted, using a shared code phrase.

GitHub Download v11.6.3
Stars
40.8k
Forks
1.6k
Licence
MIT
Language
Go
Last update
4 days ago
Type
CLI

What it is

croc is a command-line tool for copying files and folders from one computer to another. The sender gets a short code phrase and the receiver types it in, and the two machines connect and transfer the data encrypted end to end. It can connect directly or through a relay when a direct connection is not possible, and it also has a browser version at getcroc.com.

  • Send a folder of photos from a laptop to a desktop by sharing a code phrase
  • Transfer files between a Linux server and a Windows machine
  • Use the browser version at getcroc.com to receive files without installing anything
  • Resume a transfer that was interrupted

Great for

  • People who need to send a file to someone without setting up a server, accounts, or port forwarding
  • Developers and sysadmins who prefer working in a terminal
  • Users moving files between machines on different operating systems
  • People who want to send files to a computer where they cannot easily install software by using the browser version

Not ideal for

  • Users who need to store or share files long term, since croc is for direct one-time transfers between two parties (the README does not describe hosted storage)
  • People who need a graphical app only, unless they use one of the community desktop or Android GUIs listed in the README
  • Teams needing managed, audited file transfer, since the README describes no administration or logging features
Step-by-step guide: how to use crocInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
croc vs Magic Wormhole

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    Install on macOS with Homebrew

    brew install croc

    Install on Windows with Scoop

    scoop install croc

    Install from the release script

    curl https://getcroc.com | bash
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install croc using one of the package manager commands in the README
    • On the sending computer, run: croc send [file(s)-or-folder]
    • Copy the code phrase that croc prints
    • On the receiving computer, run: croc code-phrase using the phrase from the sender
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Use the browser version at getcroc.com to send to someone who has not installed croc
    • Run croc update --check to check for new releases, or croc update to install one when the executable is user-writable
    • Set the CROC_SECRET environment variable to pass the code phrase without typing it in the command line
    • Use a proxy such as Tor, which the README lists as supported

Downloads

Source code (.zip)main branch · straight from GitHubRelease v11.6.38 files incl. croc_v11.6.3_Windows-64bit.zipOfficial website & docsgetcroc.com

Strengths

  • End-to-end encryption uses PAKE, so the code phrase sets up the secret key for both sides
  • Works without a local server or port forwarding, with a relay fallback when direct connection fails
  • Cross-platform, with install options for macOS, Windows, Linux, BSD, Android and a browser version

Trade-offs

  • Both sender and receiver must be online at the same time to complete a transfer
  • The README's feature claims are the author's own description and were not independently verified here
  • The README describes a newer croc ssh feature that depends on the Tailcat network and is less thoroughly explained

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
croc (this)40.8kCLIbeginner4 days agoPeople who need to send a file to someone without setting up a server, accounts, or port forwarding
magic-wormhole23.1kCLIbeginner5 days agoPeople who want to send a file to someone without setting up an account or shared service
chisel16.7kCLIintermediate26 days agoDevelopers who need to reach a service on a private machine from outside its network
transfer.sh15.9kAppintermediate5 days agoDevelopers who want to share files from a terminal without a web browser
sharedrop10.8kAppintermediate1.7 years agoPeople who want to move files between phones and computers in a browser
gh-dash12.7kCLIintermediate10 days agoDevelopers who spend most of their day in the terminal

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.