README.md

# Briar Wrapper

[![pipeline status](https://code.briarproject.org/briar/python-briar-wrapper/badges/master/pipeline.svg)](https://code.briarproject.org/briar/python-briar-wrapper/commits/master)
[![coverage report](https://code.briarproject.org/briar/python-briar-wrapper/badges/master/coverage.svg)](https://code.briarproject.org/briar/python-briar-wrapper/commits/master)

A wrapper library for Briar to run on Python platforms.
It uses the
[Briar REST API](https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar/blob/master/briar-headless/README.md)
and therefore requires Java.

## Installation

The easiest way to install Briar Wrapper is to
install [the package from PyPi.org](https://pypi.org/project/briar_wrapper/):
`pip install briar_wrapper`

You can also build it yourself by runninng the following command:
`flit build`

Note that you need to [have installed flit](https://pypi.org/project/flit/) to
do this.

## Design Goals

* Main platform is GNU/Linux, but should also support (at least) Windows and macOS
* Analogously, main platform is x86, but should also support (at least) arm

## FAQ

### I forgot my password.

In case you forgot your password, there's no other way than to delete your old
account and start from scratch. Call `rm -rf ~/.briar/` to delete your current
account.

### How can I transfer a Briar account from my Android device?

By using [_adb_](https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line/adb),
you can copy the database and keys from a Briar Android installation.
Note that your smartphone needs to be rooted for this.

You shouldn't use this technique to clone your Briar account to another device and
then use the same account on both devices. If you do this, you open up yourself to many
possible threats. See
[this comment on Briar's issue tracker](https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar/issues/110#note_34386)
for more information. Therefore, make sure to delete the old copy
of your Briar account after you've transferred it to another device to protect
yourself against attacks circumventing forward secrecy.

In case you just want to transfer contacts from one account to another,
better use the "contact introduction feature" which is already available on Android
devices and which is planned to land in python-briar-wrapper, too.

You can either use the script at 
[tools/copy-db-from-android.sh](tools/copy-db-from-android.sh) or do it manually:

1. Start _briar-gtk_ and register a dummy account. This will create
the needed directory structure at _~/.briar/_. Close the program afterwards.
2. Enable _adb_ on your smartphone and give it root permissions.
3. Connect via _adb_ and gain root permissions using `adb root`.
4. Copy all important files using `adb pull`:
_/data/data/org.briarproject.briar.android/app_db/db.mv.db_,
_/data/data/org.briarproject.briar.android/app_key/db.key_,
_/data/data/org.briarproject.briar.android/app_key/db.key.bak_
5. Replace the respecting files in _~/.briar/db_ and _~/.briar/key_.

## License

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
[GNU Affero General Public License](LICENSE.md) for more details.