The Freenet podcast, Decentralize Everything, explores the ideas, technology, and people behind building a decentralized internet.
About
Podcast
People
The people behind Freenet.
Freenet's History
History of Freenet
Introduction
Freenet has a long and somewhat complicated 25-year history. This page aims to clarify the timeline and the relationship between various projects that have evolved from the original Freenet.
Timeline and Evolution
The Birth of Freenet
Freenet was initially developed in 1999 at the University of Edinburgh by Ian Clarke. It was conceived as a decentralized system for anonymous information storage and retrieval. Over time, the project evolved significantly, incorporating various rewrites and improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Freenet?
- How does Freenet work?
- What is the project’s history?
- How do the previous and current versions of Freenet differ?
- Will the new Freenet be backwards compatible with the old Freenet?
- Why was Freenet rearchitected and rebranded?
- How does Freenet compare to other decentralized systems?
- Who is behind Freenet?
- How does Freenet handle harmful content?
- What is the status of Freenet?
- Can I follow Freenet on social media?
- How can I financially support Freenet development?
- How do I uninstall Freenet?
- Why does the Freenet project use and mention AI tools?
Freenet is a fully decentralized, peer-to-peer network and a drop-in replacement for the world wide web. It operates as a global shared computer, providing a platform for sophisticated decentralized software systems. Freenet allows developers to create decentralized alternatives to centralized services, including messaging, social media, email, and e-commerce. It’s designed for simplicity and flexibility and can be used seamlessly through your web browser. The platform’s user-friendly decentralized applications are scalable, interoperable, and secured with cryptography.
News
Video Talks
Here you will find a collection of video talks about Freenet.
- May 1, 2026 - Podcast: Decentralize Everything, Episode 2: Can we decentralize Git with Freenet?
- April 28, 2026 - Podcast: Decentralize Everything, Episode 1: How Do You Trust Someone You've Never Met?
- March 28, 2026 - Ian Clarke Answers Your Questions About Freenet
- February 6, 2026 - Freenet Lives! Real-Time Decentralized Applications at Scale
- August 22, 2024 - Ghost Keys: Building Cypherpunk Reputation Systems with Ian Clarke of Freenet
- June 10, 2024 - How Freenet Works
- September 7, 2023 - How to Build Apps on Freenet
- September 13, 2022 - Ian Interviewed by Louis Rossman
University
Deep dives into Freenet’s technical concepts and architecture.