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Shares

Understand what shares are and how they work in Handrive.

What is a Share?​

A share is a folder that you make available through Handrive. Think of it as a synced folder that can be accessed by you across devices, or shared with other people.

Types of Shares​

Local Shares (Your Shares)​

Shares that you create on your device. These are folders on your computer that you've added to Handrive.

  • Marked with a purple drive icon 🟣
  • Appear under "My Shares" in the sidebar
  • You have full control (Owner role)
  • Stored on your local device

Remote Shares (Others' Shares)​

Shares created by your contacts that they've given you access to.

  • Marked with a cyan globe icon 🔵
  • Appear under the contact's name in the sidebar
  • Your access level depends on your assigned role
  • Files stored on the owner's device

Share Properties​

Each share has:

PropertyDescription
NameDisplay name for the share
Path(Local only) Folder location on your device
OwnerPerson who created the share
MembersPeople who have access
FilesContents of the shared folder

How Sharing Works​

Handrive uses an asymmetric sharing model for security. This means sharing is a two-step process that requires action from both parties:

Sharer's side:
1. You create a share → Points to a folder on your device
2. You add someone as a member → You've granted them access

Receiver's side:
3. They add you as a contact → They choose to connect with you
4. They discover your share → It appears in their sidebar
5. They browse files → File list comes from your device
6. They download → File transfers directly to them
info

Files are NOT automatically copied to other people's devices. They remain on the owner's device until someone explicitly downloads them.

Share Discovery​

Shares are discovered through contacts. To see shares someone has given you access to:

  1. Add them as a contact first - You must add the share owner to your contacts
  2. Discover their shares - Shares they've invited you to appear under their name in your sidebar
Why this design?

This asymmetric model protects your privacy. Adding someone as a member doesn't force content into their app. They must actively choose to add you as a contact before they can see your shares. This prevents unwanted content from appearing in your app.

Example​

Alice wants to share photos with Bob:

StepAlice (Sharer)Bob (Receiver)
1Creates "Vacation Photos" share—
2Adds Bob as a member—
3—Nothing happens yet!
4—Adds Alice as a contact
5—Sees "Vacation Photos" under Alice in sidebar