Definition
NNCP (Node to Node Copy) is a collection of utilities for secure, store-and-forward exchange of files, mail, and commands between nodes. Think of it as a modern, cryptographically hardened UUCP with internet smarts. It is built for small, friend-to-friend (F2F) networks of a few dozen statically routed nodes — a deliberate, trust-based darknet rather than an anonymous open network — making it a strong fit for sovereign operators who want to move data only among known, vetted peers.
Delay-tolerant by design
NNCP is fire-and-forget and delay-tolerant: packets queue and propagate whenever a path becomes available. It supports direct online transfers over LAN or internet, scheduled exchanges, streaming pipes, and fully offline copies. Because data can ride on physical media, NNCP works for air-gapped machines reached by USB stick, optical disc, or tape — a meaningful property when the safest link is no network at all.
Security model
Every packet is integrity-checked, end-to-end encrypted, and explicitly authenticated against known participants' public keys. Relayed packets receive onion encryption, so intermediate nodes learn only enough to forward, not the contents or ultimate endpoints. NNCP also handles interrupted-transfer resumption and very large files, and each node acts as both client and server using push or poll behavior.
NNCP complements radio-layer transports like Reticulum and packet radio, providing the secure, deniable-to-strangers store-and-forward layer above them.
In Simple Terms
NNCP (Node to Node Copy) is a collection of utilities for secure, store-and-forward exchange of files, mail, and commands between nodes. Think of it as…