filebrowser on GitHub (gtsteffaniak/filebrowser)

filebrowser README

FileBrowser Quantum

The best free self-hosted web-based file manager.

FileBrowser Quantum file listing in dark mode

Pinned

:pushpin: Read The Official Docs (currently english-only)

:pushpin: v2.0.0 is now stable! --> See migration support discussion

About

FileBrowser Quantum provides an easy way to access and manage your files from the web. It has a modern responsive interface that has many advanced features to manage users, access, sharing, and file preview and editing.

This version is called "Quantum" because it packs tons of advanced features into a tiny and easy-to-run file. Unlike the majority of alternative options, FileBrowser Quantum is simple to install and easy to configure.

The goal for this repo is to become the best open-source self-hosted file browsing application that exists -- all for free. This repo will always be free and open-source.

Ready to try it out? See Getting Started Docs.

How its different

FileBrowser Quantum is a massive fork of the file browser open-source project with the following changes:

✅ Better source configuration - multiple sources, include/exclude rules, and more
✅ Login support for OIDC, LDAP, JWT, password + 2FA, and proxy.
✅ Beautiful, Responsive, and Customizable user interface.
✅ Streamlined configuration via config.yaml config file.
✅ Efficient search
- Real-time search results as you type.
- Real-time monitoring and updates in the UI.
- Search supports file and folder sizes, along with various filters.
✅ Better listing browsing
- Thumbnails support includes office, video, and album artwork, and 3D models.
- Faster and more responsive views with animations.
- Folder sizes are displayed and support thumbnails
- Navigating remembers the last scroll position.
- WebDAV support
- Granular permissions
✅ Highly configurable and customizable sharing options
- share expiration time
- users who can access share (including anonymous)
- styling and themes
- file viewing, editing, and uploading permissions
✅ Access control that can be scoped to user or group and source path.
✅ Developer API support
- Ability to create long-lived API Tokens.
- A helpful Swagger page is available at /swagger endpoint for API enabled users.

Notable features that this fork does not have (removed):

❌ shell commands are completely removed and will not be returned.

FileBrowser Quantum differs significantly from the original version. Many of these changes required a significant overhaul. Creating a fork was a necessary process to make the program better. There have been many growing pains, but a stable release is planned and coming soon.

The UI

The UI has a simple three-component navigation system:

(Left) Multi-action button with slide-out panel.
(Middle) The powerful search bar / title
(Right) The view change toggle / overflow menu

All other functions are moved either into the action menu or pop-up menus. If the action does not depend on context, it will exist in the slide-out action panel. If the action is available based on context, it will show up as a pop-up menu.

Official Docs

See the Official Docs. Contributions are welcome and encouraged! See FilebrowserDocs Github.

Comparison Chart

Application Name	Quantum	Filebrowser	Filestash	Nextcloud	Google_Drive	FileRun
Filesystem support	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Linux	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Windows	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	✅
Mac	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	✅
Self hostable	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Has Stable Release?	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
S3 support	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
webdav support	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅
FTP support	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅
Dedicated docs site?	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Multiple sources at once	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅
Docker image size	180 MB (with ffmpeg)	31 MB	240 MB (main image)	250 MB	❌	> 2 GB
Min. Memory Requirements	512 MB	128 MB	128 MB (main image)	512 MB	❌	512 MB
has standalone binary	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
price	free	free	free	free tier	free tier	$99+
rich media preview	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Upload files from the web?	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Advanced Search?	✅	❌	✅	configurable	✅	✅
Indexed Search?	✅	❌	✅	configurable	✅	✅
Content-aware search?	❌	❌	✅	configurable	✅	✅
Custom job support	:construction:	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Multiple users	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Single sign-on support	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
LDAP sign-on support	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Long-live API key support	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
API documentation page	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Mobile App	❌	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌
open source?	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
tags support	:construction:	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅
shareable web links?	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Event-based notifications	:construction:	❌	✅	❌	❌	✅
Metrics	:construction:	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
file space quotas	✅	❌	✅	❌	✅	✅
text-based files editor	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Office file support	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Office file previews	✅	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅
Themes	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Branding support	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	✅
activity log	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Comments support	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
trash support	:construction:	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Starred/pinned files	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Chromecast support	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Share collections of files	:construction:	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Can archive selected files	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Can browse archive files	:construction:	❌	✅	❌	❌	✅
Can convert documents	:construction:	❌	✅	❌	❌	✅
Can convert videos	:construction:	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Can convert photos	:construction:	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌

8.8K ·GitHub

Filebrowser

What is this?

FileBrowser Quantum is a self-hosted web app that lets you browse, manage, preview, and edit your files through a browser, with a modern responsive UI.

Is this a desktop app or something I host myself?

It's a self-hosted web-based file manager you run on your own server or machine, not a desktop application.

How do I get it running?

Download the standalone binary or use the Docker image, configure it via config.yaml, then access it through the web UI. Full steps are in the official Getting Started Docs.

Do I need Docker, or is there a standalone binary?

Either works: it ships as a standalone binary or a Docker image (about 180 MB, bundled with ffmpeg for media thumbnails), needing roughly 512 MB of memory.

Are all the features in the comparison chart actually finished?

Several advertised features (custom jobs, tags, event notifications, metrics, trash, archive browsing/conversion, document/video conversion) are still marked as under construction, not fully shipped yet. It also has no S3 or FTP support and no mobile app.

Does it run on Windows and Mac, not just Linux?

Yes, the comparison table confirms it supports Linux, Windows, and Mac filesystems.

What's missing compared to the original FileBrowser project?

Shell command execution was completely removed from this fork for security reasons; everything else is an expansion on the original.

How can users log in?

It supports OIDC, LDAP, JWT, standard password login with optional 2FA, and proxy-based authentication, plus granular access control scoped to users, groups, or source paths.

Does it preview videos and 3D models?

Yes, thumbnails cover office documents, videos, album artwork, and 3D models, with faster, animated listing views.

Why is it called 'Quantum'?

The name reflects that it packs many advanced features into a very small, easy-to-run binary compared to typical alternatives.

What are similar projects?

zitadel, stalwart, gin-vue-admin, kratos, authelia, NodePilot, casdoor, sftpgo

Which topics is it in?

swagger, ldap, access-control, webdav, 2fa, oidc, file-manager, file-sharing, sso, rbac, search, authentication

Creator: gtsteffaniak
Size: 99.6 MB
Stars: 8.8K
Updated: CommitOct 13 Releasev2.0.1-stableOct 13
Age: 3y
Commits · 90 Days