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Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the FAQ section. These are the most common questions developers ask when getting started with Pear.

❓ What exactly is Pear?​

Pear is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) runtime and development tool built for local-first applications.
It removes the need for servers, cloud hosting, or centralized infrastructure.
Apps connect directly to each other, discover peers, and replicate data securely.

❓ Is Pear open source?​

Yes. Pear and all its components are open-source and available on GitHub.
You can fork, modify, and contribute.

❓ Do I need a server or cloud backend?​

No. Pear apps use direct encrypted P2P connections.
Data lives with users, not on a central server.

❓ Which platforms does Pear support?​

Pear runs on:

  • Desktop (macOS, Windows, Linux)
  • Terminal / CLI
  • Mobile (iOS & Android)

❓ What language or framework does Pear use?​

Pear supports JavaScript and TypeScript.
Use your existing web dev skills — no special language required.

❓ Can Pear apps go offline?​

Yes. Pear apps are local-first.
They work offline and automatically sync when peers come back online.

❓ What type of apps can I build?​

Popular use cases:

  • Collaboration apps (notes, docs, chats, whiteboards)
  • Real-time sharing tools
  • Offline-first productivity apps
  • Distributed storage apps
  • Anything that benefits from no servers

❓ How do peers discover each other?​

Pear uses cryptographic identities and DHT-based peer discovery.
You never expose user IPs, and all connections are encrypted end-to-end.

❓ Is Pear production-ready?​

Pear is evolving rapidly. The runtime is stable, and the ecosystem is expanding.
Watch the “What’s New” page for weekly improvements.

❓ Where can I ask questions or report issues?​

  • GitHub Issues
  • Discussions
  • Community chats (coming soon)

If your question isn’t answered here, contribute more FAQs or reach out on GitHub.