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Direct Connect (DC)

Direct connect is a peer-to-peer file-sharing protocol. Direct connect clients connect to a central hub and can download files directly from one user to another.

Hubs feature a list of clients or users connected to them. Users can search for files and download them from other clients, as well as chat with other users.

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Clients

While not mandated by the protocol, most clients send a "tag". This is part of the client's description and display information ranging from client name and version to number of total available slots to if the user is using a proxy server. It was originally added to DC++, due to its ability to be in multiple hubs with the same instance. The information is arbitrary.

The original client's file list (a comprehensive list of the files a user share) was compressed using Huffman's compression algorithm. Newer clients (among them DC++) serve a XML based list, compressed with bzip2.

DC++ > Download

DC++ is an open source alternative to NMDC written in C++ mainly for Windows, but crossplatform forks exist like LinuxDC++.

MLDonkey > Download

MLDonkey is a multiprotocol open source peer to peer client for Linux, Unix and Windows.

NeoModus Direct connect > Download

NeoModus Direct Connect (abbreviated to NMDC) was the original Direct connect client. It was written by Jonathan Hess at the company NeoModus. The first version was written in Visual Basic and released in November 1999. It only ran on Windows. The second version was written in C++ and C#, and had Mac OS X support.

ShakesPeer > Download

ShakesPeer is a client specifically written for Mac OS X.

Valknut > Download

Valknut is a C++ and Qt written client that is designed to run on Linux, FreeBSD and Mac OS X.

DCTC > Download

Direct Connect Text Client (DCTC) [1] for Linux.