# Radicle — Decentralized alternative for Github in Web3 If you don’t have time to read but want to know what’s there in this post. Find the quick read 👇 ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1698055063743/1ce7ecad-aa02-4c9b-8b7e-4f76d26ffd9e.gif align="left") Radicle is a decentralized network for software development collaboration that aims for high security, censorship resistance, and usability. ### On this Post In this post we will see the following about Radicle 1. What is Radicle? 2. Radicle code storage and communication technology 3. Get Started with Radicle ### 1\. What is Radicle? Radicle is a software development management platform and decentralized network that enables computer programmers to collaborate on software projects in a peer-to-peer (P2P) fashion. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1698055066427/d660babb-d36b-48cd-95fc-df8cf3859116.png align="left") P2P Network Radicle is free and designed to be highly secure, user-friendly, and censor-resistant. Radicle can also function in an offline environment. This means it doesn’t require a **Domain Name Service (DNS)** — or even internet connectivity — in order to function. Users can freely share coding projects without the need for a permissioned gatekeeper such as a centralized code repository, DNS hosting service, or proprietary collaboration platform or app. ### 2\. Radicle code storage and communication technology Radicle was initially built using the **InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)**, the team later decided that the IPFS did not satisfy the performance requirements required by the project. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1698055068086/facea1e6-3257-4d04-884f-8db468170cd3.png align="left") IPFS Instead, the Radicle team replaced the IPFS system with Git, which now functions as the storage and replication layer of the Radicle network. Radicle uses Git primarily as a database. Built on Git, Radicle is secured by public-key cryptography (PKC) to maintain security and code provenance. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1698055070616/0fd41db3-42dc-4680-a1ec-c1d4c24df3db.png align="left") Public key Cryptography Radicle has built a P2P communication layer called Radicle Link.(Traditional Client-Server architecture). Radicle Link allows coders (or “peers”) to share and spread data by keeping local copies on their personal devices. The more peers who are interested in a specific software project, the more accessible it becomes throughout the Radicle crypto network. Radicle also features a blockchain-based tool called Radicle Orgs, which allows you to grant access control to code repositories via smart contracts. You can also share Radicle code repositories via your multi-signature wallet (a.k.a. multi-sig wallet), which gives a global team the ability to share access in a transparent and permissioned fashion. Radicle offers a desktop application for both the macOS and Linux operating systems (OSs) as well. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1698055073346/01141310-bfaf-4d44-9b24-22c678bab986.png align="left") Multi-Sig Wallet ### 3\. Get Started with Radicle #### Radicle CLI Installation 👉 To install with 🍺 Homebrew, run: ```javascript brew tap radicle/cli https://seed.alt-clients.radicle.xyz/radicle-cli-homebrew.git brew install radicle-cli ``` 👉 To install on 🐧 **Debian/Ubuntu**, first download the package signing key: ```javascript curl https://europe-west6-apt.pkg.dev/doc/repo-signing-key.gpg | sudo apt-key add - ``` Then update your sources list with the radicle repository by creating a registry file: ```javascript echo deb https://europe-west6-apt.pkg.dev/projects/radicle-services radicle-cli main | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/radicle-registry.list ``` Then update the package list and install `radicle-cli`: ```javascript sudo apt update sudo apt install radicle-cli ``` #### Create Radicle Identity The first time you run rad auth, you are prompted to create a new radicle identity and Ed25519 keypair. **rad auth** Initializing your 🌱 profile and identity ok Username · nidhin ok Passphrase · \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* ok Creating your 🌱 Ed25519 keypair... ok Adding to ssh-agent... ok Profile 3ae66df3-6ac7-8466-7013-83839749ed05 created. Your radicle Peer ID is hyncoz7x4s8x9447g6yogy4iy41q8i4juy5uhou57w1ga7obt644wo. This identifies your device. Your personal 🌱 URN is rad:git:hnrkmx6trm4bu19bwa4apbxj8ftw8f7amfdyy. This identifies you across devices. \=> To create a radicle project, run \`rad init\` from a git repository. #### Initialize Radicle to a project Run rad init to create a Radicle project from the repo. This creates a unique peer-to-peer identity for your repository that can be shared on the network, and associates your radicle key with it. > Clone an existing git repo which has commits because when i tried for a fresh project it doens’t works **rad init** Initializing local 🌱 project ImageCompression ok Description · This is to test how radicle works ok Default branch · master ok Initializing new project... ok Project initialized: rad:git:hnrkqi6ohci8m59i54ppiy3fqkedkjt98ymdo \=> To publish, run \`rad push\`. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1698055074998/13320aba-3f6a-461e-82cb-648816a29b52.png align="left") #### Run rad push to publish to the network The first time you push, you will be asked to select a seed node to push to. To push to your own seed, specify its address with the `**--seed**` option. seed is similar to Remote VM **rad push** Pushing 🌱 to remote \`rad\` Everything up-to-date Git version 2.35.1 Select a seed node to sync with... \* pine.radicle.garden \* willow.radicle.garden \* maple.radicle.garden Your code will be synced and available on the network via the web or git. Git signing key ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIL460KIEccS4881p7PPpiiQBsxF+H5tgC6De6crw9rbU Syncing 🌱 project rad:git:hnrkqi6ohci9m59i54ppiy3fqkedkjt98ymdo to https://willow.radicle.garden ok Syncing delegate identity hnrkqdpm9ub19oc8dccx44echy76hzfsezyio... ok Syncing project identity... ok Syncing project refs... ok Fetching remotes (\*)... ok Project synced. 🌱 Your project is synced and available at: (web) https://app.radicle.xyz/seeds/willow.radicle.garden/rad:git:hnrkqi6ohci9m59i54ppiy3fqkedkjt98ymdo/ (git) https://willow.radicle.garden/hnrkqi6ohci9m59i54ppiy3fqkedkjt98ymdo.git #### Radicle CLI commands ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1698055077255/cd09a4cb-c7d7-4e44-9d8c-f4f76208bfe4.png align="left") Radicle CLI commands ### Reference Links Radicle Video [**Radicle Interface** *Interact with Radicle*app.radicle.xyz](https://app.radicle.xyz/) [**Radicle** *Sovereign code infrastructure*radicle.xyz](https://radicle.xyz/get-started.html) ### Congratulations! In this post, we have seen the alternative for Github in Decentralized network named Radicle as well as how to initialize and deploy a project in Radicle using Radicle CLI Will catch up in a new post with more interesting crafts till then Happy Learning :)