DC++

DC++ is a free and open-source, peer-to-peer file-sharing client that can be used for connecting to the Direct Connect network or to the ADC protocol. It is developed primarily by Jacek Sieka, nicknamed arnetheduck.

DC++

DC++ 0.777 on Windows 7
Developer(s)	Jacek Sieka
Stable release	0.882  / 9 November 2024
Repository	hg.code.sf.net/p/dcplusplus/code
Written in	C++
Operating system	Windows
Type	Peer-to-peer
License	GNU GPLv2 or later
Website	dcplusplus.sourceforge.io

History and background

DC++ is a free and open-source alternative to the original client, NeoModus Direct Connect (NMDC);^[1] it connects to the same file-sharing network and supports the same file-sharing protocol. One of the reasons commonly attributed to the popularity of DC++ is that it has no adware of any kind, unlike NMDC.^[2]

Many other clients exist for the Direct Connect network, and most of these are DC++ "mods": modified versions of DC++, based on DC++'s source code. A partial list of DC++ mods is given below. Some of these clients were developed for specialized communities (e.g. music-sharing communities), or in order to support specific experimental features, or perhaps features that have been rejected from inclusion in DC++ itself. An example of an experimental feature is hashing, which was initially implemented in BCDC++ and later adopted by DC++.

As of 2008^[update], DC++ had around 90% market share of the Direct Connect community.^[3]

Forks

Chart showing DC++ and its forks^[4]

An advantage of the free and open-source nature of DC++ is that several mods have been released which add features to the original client.

Many users send patches to DC++ which are included in future releases, but some features are rejected by the developer. Stated reasons for rejecting a patch are because they are coded poorly, or that the feature is frivolous, abusable or overly specialized, and does not belong in the main client. Examples include: upload bandwidth limiting (many users feel that upload bandwidth limiting is a form of cheating, while other users not using a full-duplex network connection can only achieve reasonable download speeds by limiting uploads), colorized chat, specialized operator functions (e.g. client/share checking).

The developers of some forks contribute features and bug fixes back upstream to DC++.

Client software comparison

General

Client	FOSS	Software license	Active	Release date (latest version)
AirDC++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	Yes	2023-08-27 (v4.21)
AirDC++ Web Client	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	Yes	2024-12-07 (v2.13.2)
ApexDC++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	No	2018-12-25 (v1.6.5)
DC++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	Yes	2024-11-09 (v0.882)
EiskaltDC++	Yes	GNU GPLv3 or later	Yes	2021-03-03 (v2.4.2)
FlylinkDC++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	Yes	2023-12-31 (r601 build 23343)
LinuxDC++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	No	2011-04-17 (v1.1.0)
RSX++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	No	2011-04-14 (v1.21)
StrongDC++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	No	2010-12-27 (v2.42)
TkDC++	Yes	GNU GPLv2 or later	No	2010-11-29 (v1.3)

Operating system support

Client	Windows	Linux	macOS	BSD	Haiku
AirDC++	Yes	No	No	No	No
AirDC++ Web Client	No	Yes	No	No	No
ApexDC++	Yes	No	No	No	No
DC++	Yes	No	No	No	No
EiskaltDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
FlylinkDC++	Yes	No	No	No	No
LinuxDC++	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
RSX++	Yes	No	No	No	No
StrongDC++	Yes	No	No	No	No
TkDC++	Yes	No	No	No	No

Interface and programming

Client	GUI	CLI	WebUI	Programming language	Based on
AirDC++	Yes	No	Yes	C++	StrongDC++
AirDC++ Web Client	No	Yes	Yes	C++	AirDC++
ApexDC++	Yes	No	No	C++	StrongDC++
DC++	Yes	No	No	C++	-
EiskaltDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	C++	DC++
FlylinkDC++	Yes	No	Yes	C++	ApexDC++/StrongDC++
LinuxDC++	Yes	No	No	C++	DC++
RSX++	Yes	No	No	C++	StrongDC++
StrongDC++	Yes	No	No	C++	DC++
TkDC++	Yes	No	No	C++	StrongDC++ / DC++ bzr

Features

Client	Magnet URI	UPnP	NAT traversal	DHT	Encryption	IPv6	IDNA	Plugin	Proxy	Hash algorithms	Protocol support
AirDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No		Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
AirDC++ Web Client	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No		Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
ApexDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Lua, C++	Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
DC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No		Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
EiskaltDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Lua, Qt Script, QML	Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
FlylinkDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes		Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
LinuxDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No		Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
RSX++	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Lua, C++	Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS
StrongDC++	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No		Yes	Tiger Tree Hash	TIGR, ADCS

See also

• Free and open-source software portal

• Direct Connect (protocol)
• Advanced Direct Connect