In simple English
This tool lets you host your own private cloud storage on your own server. You can upload, download, and share files with colleagues or friends without trusting a big tech company. Your data stays on your hard drive, completely under your control. It costs you the price of a server and some time to set it up. There are no monthly fees for storage tiers.
What it is
OpenCloud is the backend server written in Go (a programming language built for speed and reliability) that powers a self-hosted file sharing platform. It stores files directly on the filesystem rather than using a traditional database, and handles user authentication internally.
What it is good for
Solo builders and small teams who want a private alternative to Google Drive or Dropbox on their own hardware.
- Stores files directly on the server filesystem instead of needing a complex database setup.
- Includes an embedded identity provider so user sign-in works right away without extra software.
- Licensed under the Apache 2.0 licence (a legal permission slip allowing free use and modification).
- Requires technical knowledge to set up and manage a server.
- Stores all data in the filesystem, which might need careful backup strategies as your file count grows.
- Relies on community support rather than a paid enterprise helpdesk.
Dropbox or Google Drive
Keycloak
- nextcloud/server37k stars
A much larger self-hosted collaboration platform that requires a separate SQL database and PHP.
- owncloud/ocis2.2k stars
The previous generation modular file sync and share server built by the same core contributors.
- facebook/docusaurus67k stars
A static site generator from Meta that turns Markdown files into a documentation website.
- mkdocs/mkdocs23k stars
Turns a folder of Markdown files into a documentation website, controlled by one settings file.
- squidfunk/mkdocs-material28k stars
Turns a folder of Markdown files into a searchable documentation website, with every formerly sponsor-only feature now included.
git clone https://github.com/opencloud-eu/opencloud.git cd opencloud make generate make -C opencloud build opencloud/bin/opencloud init && opencloud/bin/opencloud server