Radicle: A peer-to-peer Git forge with no central authority

Radicle is an open-source code collaboration stack that replaces centralized hosts like GitHub with a peer-to-peer network built on Git. Repositories replicate across nodes operated by users themselves, with cryptographic identities signing all social artifacts—issues, patches, discussions—which are stored as Git objects via a primitive called Collaborative Objects (COBs). A custom gossip protocol handles metadata exchange between peers, and the Noise XK protocol secures node-to-node traffic.

The architecture is deliberately modular: a Radicle Node and HTTP daemon sit beneath a CLI, TUI, web interface, and a newer desktop client, with any layer swappable. The project pitches local-first operation, censorship resistance, and full user ownership of data as the core wins over conventional forges. Version 1.8.0 shipped in late March 2026 alongside a disclosed vulnerability in signed references, and the project recently moved to the radicle.dev and radicle.network domains.

For developers wary of platform lock-in or single points of failure in their hosting infrastructure, Radicle offers a credible decentralized alternative—though it remains Linux/macOS/BSD only and demands users run their own infrastructure to fully realize the sovereignty pitch.