Run Your Encrypted Network Stack From the Command Line

Ever feel like setting up a secure, encrypted network tunnel requires a PhD in network engineering and a dozen configuration files? What if you could spin up your own private, encrypted overlay network with a single command? That’s the promise of anet.

It’s a tool that abstracts away the complexity of encrypted networking. Instead of juggling VPN configs, firewall rules, and certificate authorities, you get a simple CLI that handles it all. For developers who need quick, secure connections between services, machines, or even just for fun, this is a breath of fresh air.

What It Does

anet (which stands for "Another NETwork") is a command-line tool that lets you create an encrypted virtual network between machines. You run a lightweight agent on each node, and they automatically discover each other and establish secure tunnels. It builds a mesh network where traffic between any two nodes is encrypted, without you having to manually configure each connection.

Think of it as a zero-config VPN that you control entirely from your terminal. It handles the nitty-gritty of encryption, key exchange, and routing, so you don't have to.

Why It's Cool

The magic is in its simplicity and its "just works" mentality. Here’s what stands out:

• Single-Command Simplicity: The core idea is right there in the tweet. You get a full networking stack up and running from one command. It’s perfect for scripting, automation, or just saving your sanity.
• Automatic Discovery: Nodes find each other automatically. This removes a huge point of friction compared to traditional VPNs where you need to pre-share IPs or set up a central server.
• Developer-First: It feels built for dev workflows. Need a secure tunnel between your laptop and a cloud instance for debugging? Need to connect a few microservices in different locations during testing? anet fits these scenarios naturally.
• It's Just a Binary: You download it and run it. There’s no heavy GUI, no complex service to install. It’s a tool that does one job and gets out of your way.

How to Try It

Getting started is straightforward. Head over to the GitHub repository to see the latest releases and documentation.

1. Grab the binary: Go to the anet GitHub repo and download the latest release for your platform.
2. Run the agent: On your first machine, you might start something like:

   ./anet agent
   

3. Connect more nodes: On another machine with the binary, you'd run a similar command, often pointing it to the first node for initial discovery. The specific join command will be in the project's README.

The repository’s README is the source of truth for the exact, up-to-date commands and any necessary flags. It’s worth a quick scan to understand the current options.

Final Thoughts

anet isn't trying to replace every enterprise VPN solution out there. Instead, it solves a specific problem beautifully: giving developers a painless way to create secure, ad-hoc networks. It’s the kind of tool you reach for when ssh tunneling feels too manual and a full-blown VPN feels like overkill.

For quick prototyping, secure remote access to a development environment, or building a simple mesh between your own servers, anet is definitely worth a look. It embodies the Unix philosophy of a simple, composable tool that excels at a single task. Run the command, get a network. It’s hard to argue with that.

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