I Built a Dark Web Marketplace from Scratch
I built a “fully functional” dark web marketplace: it looks legitimate, loads through Tor, and even has a working .onion address.
The catch: it’s completely fake.
This video is an educational walkthrough of how Tor hidden services work and why you should trust nothing you see on the dark web. We start with the story of Silk Road and Ross Ulbricht to understand how these marketplaces became infamous, then switch to Linux to build a static storefront and serve it through a Tor hidden service using NGINX.
What we cover
How Tor onion routing works (Entry → Middle → Exit)
Why many dark web sites avoid JavaScript (OpSec + users disabling JS)
Serving a static site with NGINX
Configuring torrc for a hidden service
How .onion addresses are generated (no domain purchase required)
⚠️ Disclaimer
This project is for educational purposes only. The website built in this video is a static simulation. No illegal items were sold, no real marketplace features were implemented, and the hidden service was hosted locally and shut down immediately after recording. Do not use this information to break the law.
Timestamps
0:00 Tools no one asked for
1:15 The history of Silk Road and Ross Ulbricht
2:45 Why we only use HTML/CSS (no React)
4:20 Building the fake storefront
6:00 Setting up NGINX and Tor on Linux
7:30 Configuring the hidden service (torrc)
8:45 It’s live: opening the .onion link
9:30 Why I shut it down immediately
With great power comes great responsibility.
#darkweb #tech #technology #programming #silkroad #deepweb #webtechnology