p2p.js A Peer-To-Peer JavaScript Distributed Processing Framework

Abstract

Distributed processing has been used in various areas; from projects that help find alien activity in the universe, to mapping of the human genome. These projects use specialized software to implement these tasks, and users around the world contribute to such efforts. Nevertheless, the typical user is yet to see a system, that they can themselves use the combined processing power of such a network, in a convenient and an easy to use fashion. The proposed framework addresses this by bringing distributed processing functionality to the average user, for themselves to define their problems and get them solved in a rapid way. In achieving this, we leverage the power of the web browser. The p2p.js framework defines a programming model based on HTML5 features, that an average user can define its problem in simple Javascript. The processing is distributed in a peer-to-peer fashion through other web browsers that are connected to the network. Therefore, since virtually everyone uses a web browser, no special client software is required. Furthermore due to its peer-to-peer nature, no central server is also required to carry out the operations. So what results at the end is a highly flexible, easy to use software framework for rapid development of distributed applications. The solution proposed here includes a distributed shared memory based approach, implemented using a DHT technology; and also leverages the features of HTML5 in implementing a communication and processing framework.