copyparty/docs/versus.md

alternatives to copyparty

copyparty compared against all similar software i've bumped into

there is probably some unintentional bias so please submit corrections

currently up to date with awesome-selfhosted but that probably won't last

toc

• top
• recommendations
• feature comparisons
  • general
  • file transfer
  • protocols and client support
  • server configuration
  • server capabilities
  • client features
  • integration
  • another matrix
• reviews
  • copyparty
  • hfs2
  • hfs3
  • nextcloud
  • seafile
  • rclone
  • dufs
  • chibisafe
  • kodbox
  • filebrowser
  • filegator
  • updog
  • goshs
  • gimme-that
  • ass
  • linx
• briefly considered

recommendations

• kodbox (review) appears to be a fantastic alternative if you're not worried about running chinese software, with several advantages over copyparty
  • but anything you want to share must be moved into the kodbox filesystem
• seafile (review) and nextcloud (review) could be decent alternatives if you need something heavier than copyparty
  • but their license is problematic
  • and copyparty is way better at uploads in particular (resumable, accelerated)
  • and anything you want to share must be moved into the respective filesystems
• filebrowser (review) and dufs (review) are simpler copyparties but with a settings gui
  • has some of the same strengths of copyparty, being portable and able to work with an existing folder structure
  • ...but copyparty is better at uploads + some other things

feature comparisons

<&Kethsar> copyparty is very much bloat ed, so yeah

the table headers in the matrixes below are the different softwares, with a quick review of each software in the next section

the softwares,

• a = copyparty
• b = hfs2
• c = hfs3
• d = nextcloud
• e = seafile
• f = rclone, specifically rclone serve webdav .
• g = dufs
• h = chibisafe
• i = kodbox
• j = filebrowser
• k = filegator

some softwares not in the matrixes,

• updog
• goshs
• gimme-that
• ass
• linx

symbol legend,

• █ = absolutely
• ╱ = partially
• • = maybe?
• = nope

general

feature / software	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
intuitive UX		╱	█	█	█		█	█	█	█	█
config GUI		█	█	█	█			█	█	█
good documentation				█	█	█	█			█	█
runs on iOS	╱					╱
runs on Android	█					█
runs on WinXP	█	█				█
runs on Windows	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	╱	█	█	█
runs on Linux	█	╱	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█
runs on Macos	█		█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█
runs on FreeBSD	█			•	█	█	█	•	█	█
portable binary	█	█	█			█	█			█
zero setup, just go	█	█	█			╱	█			█
android app	╱			█	█
iOS app				█	█

• zero setup = you can get a mostly working setup by just launching the app, without having to install any software or configure whatever
• a/copyparty remarks:
  • no gui for server settings; only for client-side stuff
  • can theoretically run on iOS / iPads using iSH, but only the iPad will offer sufficient multitasking i think
  • android app is for uploading only
• b/hfs2 runs on linux through wine
• f/rclone must be started with the command rclone serve webdav . or similar
• h/chibisafe has undocumented windows support

file transfer

the thing that copyparty is actually kinda good at

feature / software	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
download folder as zip	█	█	█	█	█		█		█	█	╱
download folder as tar	█									█
upload	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█
parallel uploads	█			█	█		•		█		█
resumable uploads	█								█		█
upload segmenting	█							█	█		█
upload acceleration	█								█		█
upload verification	█			█	█				█
upload deduplication	█				█				█
upload a 999 TiB file	█				█	█	•		█		█
keep last-modified time	█			█	█	█
upload rules	╱	╱	╱	╱	╱			╱	╱		╱
┗ max disk usage	█	█			█				█
┗ max filesize	█							█			█
┗ max items in folder	█
┗ max file age	█								█
┗ max uploads over time	█
┗ compress before write	█
┗ randomize filename	█							█	█
┗ mimetype reject-list	╱								•	╱
┗ extension reject-list	╱							█	•	╱
checksums provided				█	█				█	╱
cloud storage backend	╱	╱	╱	█	█	█	╱			╱	█

• upload segmenting = files are sliced into chunks, making it possible to upload files larger than 100 MiB on cloudflare for example

• upload acceleration = each file can be uploaded using several TCP connections, which can offer a huge speed boost over huge distances / on flaky connections -- like the good old download accelerators except in reverse

• upload verification = uploads are checksummed or otherwise confirmed to have been transferred correctly

• checksums provided = when downloading a file from the server, the file's checksum is provided for verification client-side

• cloud storage backend = able to serve files from (and write to) s3 or similar cloud services; ╱ means the software can do this with some help from rclone mount as a bridge

• a/copyparty can reject uploaded files (based on complex conditions), for example by extension or mimetype

• j/filebrowser remarks:

  • can provide checksums for single files on request
  • can probably do extension/mimetype rejection similar to copyparty

• k/filegator download-as-zip is not streaming; it creates the full zipfile before download can start

protocols and client support

feature / software	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
serve https	█		█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█
serve webdav	█			█	█	█	█		█
serve ftp	█					█
serve ftps	█					█
serve sftp						█
serve smb/cifs	╱					█
serve dlna						█
listen on unix-socket				█	█		█	█	█		█
zeroconf	█
supports netscape 4	╱					█					•
...internet explorer 6	╱	█		█		█					•
mojibake filenames	█			•	•	█	█	•	•	•
undecodable filenames	█			•	•	█		•	•

• zeroconf = the server announces itself on the LAN, automatically appearing on other zeroconf-capable devices
• mojibake filenames = filenames decoded with the wrong codec and then reencoded (usually to utf-8), so 宇多田ヒカル might look like ëFæ╜ôcâqâJâï
• undecodable filenames = pure binary garbage which cannot be parsed as utf-8
  • you can successfully play $'\355\221' with mpv through mounting a remote copyparty server with rclone, pog
• a/copyparty remarks:
  • extremely minimal samba/cifs server
  • netscape 4 / ie6 support is mostly listed as a joke altho some people have actually found it useful

server configuration

feature / software	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
config from cmd args	█					█	█			█
config files	█	█	█	╱	╱	█		█		█	•
runtime config reload	█	█	█					█	█	█	█
same-port http / https	█
listen multiple ports	█
virtual file system	█	█	█				█
reverse-proxy ok	█		█	█	█	█	█	█	•	•	•
folder-rproxy ok	█				█	█		•	•	•	•

• folder-rproxy = reverse-proxying without dedicating an entire (sub)domain, using a subfolder instead

server capabilities

feature / software	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
accounts	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█	█
single-sign-on				█	█				•
token auth				█	█			█
per-volume permissions	█	█	█	█	█	█	█		█	█	╱
per-folder permissions	╱			█	█		█		█	█	╱
per-file permissions				█	█		█		█
per-file passwords	█			█	█		█		█
unmap subfolders	█						█			█	╱
index.html blocks list							█			•
write-only folders	█										█
files stored as-is	█	█	█	█		█	█			█	█
file versioning				█	█
file encryption				█	█	█
file indexing	█		█	█	█			█	█	█
┗ per-volume db	█		•	•	•			•	•
┗ db stored in folder	█							•	•	█
┗ db stored out-of-tree	█		█	█	█			•	•	█
┗ existing file tree	█		█							█
file action event hooks	█									█
one-way folder sync	█			█	█	█
full sync				█	█
speed throttle		█	█			█			█
anti-bruteforce	█	█	█	█	█				•
dyndns updater		█
self-updater			█
log rotation	█		█	█	█			•	█
upload tracking / log	█	█	•	█	█			█	█
curl-friendly ls	█
curl-friendly upload	█					█	█	•

• unmap subfolders = "shadowing"; mounting a local folder in the middle of an existing filesystem tree in order to disable access below that path
• files stored as-is = uploaded files are trivially readable from the server HDD, not sliced into chunks or in weird folder structures or anything like that
• db stored in folder = filesystem index can be written to a database file inside the folder itself
• db stored out-of-tree = filesystem index can be stored some place else, not necessarily inside the shared folders
• existing file tree = will index any existing files it finds
• file action event hooks = run script before/after upload, move, rename, ...
• one-way folder sync = like rsync, optionally deleting unexpected files at target
• full sync = stateful, dropbox-like sync
• curl-friendly ls = returns a plaintext folder listing when curled
• curl-friendly upload = uploading with curl is just curl -T some.bin http://.../
• a/copyparty remarks:
  • one-way folder sync from local to server can be done efficiently with up2k.py, or with webdav and conventional rsync
  • can hot-reload config files (with just a few exceptions)
  • can set per-folder permissions if that folder is made into a separate volume, so there is configuration overhead
  • upload history can be visualized using partyjournal
• k/filegator remarks:
  • per-* permissions -- can limit a user to one folder and its subfolders
  • unmap subfolders -- can globally filter a list of paths

client features

feature / software	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
single-page app	█		█	█	█			█	█	█	█
themes	█	█		█					█
directory tree nav	█	╱			█				█		╱
multi-column sorting	█
thumbnails	█			╱	╱			█	█	╱
┗ image thumbnails	█			█	█			█	█	█
┗ video thumbnails	█			█	█				█
┗ audio spectrograms	█
audio player	█			█	█				█	╱
┗ gapless playback	█								•
┗ audio equalizer	█
┗ waveform seekbar	█
┗ OS integration	█
┗ transcode to lossy	█
video player	█			█	█				█	█
┗ video transcoding									█
audio BPM detector	█
audio key detector	█
search by path / name	█	█	█	█	█		█		█	█	╱
search by date / size	█				█			█	█
search by bpm / key	█
search by custom tags								█	█
search in file contents				█	█				█
search by custom parser	█
find local file	█
undo recent uploads	█
create directories	█			█	█	╱	█	█	█	█	█
image viewer	█			█	█				█	█	█
markdown viewer	█				█				█	╱	╱
markdown editor	█				█				█	╱	╱
readme.md in listing	█			█
rename files	█	█	█	█	█	╱	█		█	█	█
batch rename	█								█
cut / paste files	█	█		█	█				█
move files	█	█		█	█		█		█	█	█
delete files	█	█		█	█	╱	█	█	█	█	█
copy files					█				█	█	█

• single-page app = multitasking; possible to continue navigating while uploading
• audio player » os-integration = use the lockscreen to play/pause, prev/next song
• find local file = drop a file into the browser to see if it exists on the server
• a/copyparty has teeny-tiny skips playing gapless albums depending on audio codec (opus best)
• b/hfs2 has a very basic directory tree view, not showing sibling folders
• f/rclone can do some file management (mkdir, rename, delete) when hosting througn webdav
• j/filebrowser has a plaintext viewer/editor
• k/filegator directory tree is a modal window

integration

feature / software	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
OS alert on upload	█									╱
discord	█									╱
┗ announce uploads	█
┗ custom embeds
sharex	█			█		█	╱	█
flameshot						█

• sharex ╱ = yes, but does not provide example sharex config
• a/copyparty remarks:
  • OS alert on upload available as a plugin
  • discord » announce uploads available as a plugin
• j/filebrowser can probably pull those off with command runners similar to copyparty

another matrix

software / feature	lang	lic	size
copyparty	python	█ mit	0.6 MB
hfs2	delphi	░ gpl3	2 MB
hfs3	ts	░ gpl3	36 MB
nextcloud	php	‼ agpl	•
seafile	c	‼ agpl	•
rclone	c	█ mit	45 MB
dufs	rust	█ apl2	2.5 MB
chibisafe	ts	█ mit	•
kodbox	php	░ gpl3	92 MB
filebrowser	go	█ apl2	20 MB
filegator	php	█ mit	•
updog	python	█ mit	17 MB
goshs	go	█ mit	11 MB
gimme-that	python	█ mit	4.8 MB
ass	ts	█ isc	•
linx	go	░ gpl3	20 MB

• size = binary (if available) or installed size of program and its dependencies
  • copyparty size is for the standalone python file; the windows exe is 6 MiB

reviews

• ✅ are advantages over copyparty
• ⚠️ are disadvantages

copyparty

• resumable uploads which are verified server-side
• upload segmenting allows for potentially much faster uploads on some connections, and terabyte-sized files even on cloudflare
  • both of the above are surprisingly uncommon features
• very cross-platform (python, no dependencies)

hfs2

• the OG, the legend
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ windows-only
• ✅ config GUI
• vfs with gui config, per-volume permissions
• starting to show its age, hence the rewrite:

hfs3

• nodejs; cross-platform
• vfs with gui config, per-volume permissions
• still early development, let's revisit later

nextcloud

• php, mariadb
• ⚠️ [isolated on-disk file hierarchy] in per-user folders
  • not that bad, can probably be remedied with bindmounts or maybe symlinks
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ no write-only / upload-only folders
• ⚠️ http/webdav only; no ftp, zeroconf
• ⚠️ less awesome music player
• ⚠️ doesn't run on android or ipads
• ✅ great ui/ux
• ✅ config gui
• ✅ apps (android / iphone)
  • copyparty: android upload-only app
• ✅ more granular permissions (per-file)
• ✅ search: fulltext indexing of file contents
• ✅ webauthn passwordless authentication

seafile

• c, mariadb
• ⚠️ isolated on-disk file hierarchy, incompatible with other software
  • much worse than nextcloud in that regard
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ no write-only / upload-only folders
• ⚠️ http/webdav only; no ftp, zeroconf
• ⚠️ less awesome music player
• ⚠️ doesn't run on android or ipads
• ✅ great ui/ux
• ✅ config gui
• ✅ apps (android / iphone)
  • copyparty: android upload-only app
• ✅ more granular permissions (per-file)
• ✅ search: fulltext indexing of file contents

rclone

• nice standalone c program
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ no web-ui, just a server / downloader / uploader utility
• ✅ works with almost any protocol, cloud provider
  • ⚠️ copyparty's webdav server is slightly faster

dufs

• rust; cross-platform (windows, linux, macos)
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ doesn't support crazy filenames
• ✅ per-url access control (copyparty is per-volume)
• basic but really snappy ui
• upload, rename, delete, ... see feature matrix

chibisafe

• nodejs; recommends docker
• it has upload segmenting!
  • ⚠️ but uploads are still not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
• ⚠️ not portable
• ⚠️ isolated on-disk file hierarchy, incompatible with other software
• ⚠️ http/webdav only; no ftp or zeroconf
• ✅ pretty ui
• ✅ control panel for server settings and user management
• ✅ user registration
• ✅ searchable image tags; delete by tag
• ✅ browser extension to upload files to the server
• ✅ reject uploads by file extension
  • copyparty: can reject uploads by extension or mimetype using plugins
• ✅ token auth (api keys)

kodbox

• this thing is insane
• php; docker
• upload segmenting, acceleration, and integrity checking!
  • ⚠️ but uploads are not resumable(?)
• ⚠️ not portable
• ⚠️ isolated on-disk file hierarchy, incompatible with other software
• ⚠️ http/webdav only; no ftp or zeroconf
• ⚠️ some parts of the GUI are in chinese
• ✅ fantastic ui/ux
• ✅ control panel for server settings and user management
• ✅ file tags; file discussions!?
• ✅ video transcoding
• ✅ unzip uploaded archives
• ✅ IDE with syntax hilighting
• ✅ wysiwyg editor for openoffice files

filebrowser

• go; cross-platform (windows, linux, mac)
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ http only; no webdav / ftp / zeroconf
• ⚠️ doesn't support crazy filenames
• ⚠️ no directory tree nav
• ⚠️ limited file search
• ✅ settings gui
• ✅ good ui/ux
  • ⚠️ but no directory tree for navigation
• ✅ user signup
• ✅ command runner / remote shell
• supposed to have write-only folders but couldn't get it to work

filegator

• go; cross-platform (windows, linux, mac)
• ⚠️ http only; no webdav / ftp / zeroconf
• ⚠️ does not support symlinks
• ⚠️ expensive download-as-zip feature
• ⚠️ doesn't support crazy filenames
• ⚠️ limited file search
• it has upload segmenting and acceleration
  • ⚠️ but uploads are still not integrity-checked

updog

• python; cross-platform
• basic directory listing with upload feature
• ⚠️ less portable
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ no vfs; single folder, single account

goshs

• go; cross-platform (windows, linux, mac)
• ⚠️ no vfs; single folder, single account
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ✅ cool clipboard widget
  • copyparty: the markdown editor is an ok substitute
• read-only and upload-only modes (same as copyparty's write-only)
• https, webdav

gimme-that

• python, but with c dependencies
• ⚠️ no vfs; single folder, multiple accounts
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ⚠️ weird folder structure for uploads
• ✅ clamav antivirus check on upload! neat
• optional max-filesize, os-notification on uploads
  • copyparty: os-notification available as a plugin

ass

• nodejs; recommends docker
• ⚠️ not portable
• ⚠️ upload only; no browser
• ⚠️ upload through sharex only; no web-ui
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• ✅ token auth
• ✅ gps metadata stripping
  • copyparty: possible with a plugin
• ✅ discord integration (custom embeds, upload webhook)
  • copyparty: upload webhook plugin
• ✅ reject uploads by mimetype
  • copyparty: can reject uploads by extension or mimetype using plugins
• ✅ can use S3 as storage backend; copyparty relies on rclone-mount for that
• ✅ custom 404 pages

linx

• originally andreimarcu/linx-server but development has ended
• ⚠️ uploads not resumable / accelerated / integrity-checked
  • ⚠️ on cloudflare: max upload size 100 MiB
• some of its unique features have been added to copyparty as former linx users have migrated
  • file expiration timers, filename randomization
• ✅ password-protected files
  • copyparty: password-protected folders + filekeys to skip the folder password seem to cover most usecases
• ✅ file deletion keys
• ✅ download files as torrents
• ✅ remote uploads (send a link to the server and it downloads it)
  • copyparty: available as a plugin
• ✅ can use S3 as storage backend; copyparty relies on rclone-mount for that

briefly considered

• pydio: python/agpl3, looks great, fantastic ux -- but needs mariadb, systemwide install
• gossa: go/mit, minimalistic, basic file upload, text editor, mkdir and rename (no delete/move)
• h5ai: php/mit, slick ui, image viewer, directory tree, no upload feature