Dropbox
Cloud file storage and sync for teams and individuals
Filestash
Universal web file manager for any storage backend
A Dropbox-like web file manager that connects to FTP, SFTP, S3, WebDAV, Git, SMB, Google Drive, and 20+ other storage protocols from your browser.
Overview
Universal File Management from Your Browser
Filestash is a modular web-based file manager that provides a unified interface for managing data across disparate storage systems. Whether your files live on FTP servers, S3 buckets, NFS shares, or cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive, Filestash delivers a consistent, responsive experience without vendor lock-in.
Built for Flexibility and Power
Designed around a plugin architecture, Filestash supports 20+ storage protocols out of the box—from traditional SFTP and SMB to modern object storage like Backblaze B2 and Storj. The platform includes built-in viewers for music, video, and images with optional transcoding and Chromecast support. Shared links can be mounted as network drives, and an extensible plugin ecosystem enables support for specialized file formats spanning astrophysics (FITS), GIS (GeoJSON, Shapefile), biomedical imaging (DICOM), 3D modeling (STL, GLTF), and even embroidery patterns.
Deployment and Extensibility
Filestash's interface-driven design allows developers to extend every component—storage backends, authentication, search, thumbnailing, and middleware—through well-defined Go interfaces. Themes replicate familiar UX patterns from Dropbox, Google Drive, and GitHub. With API and MCP integration, teams can automate workflows and integrate with existing toolchains. The project has been in active development for over 8 years and is available under the AGPL-3.0 license.
Highlights
Unified interface for 20+ storage protocols including FTP, SFTP, S3, WebDAV, SMB, and major cloud providers
Extensible plugin architecture with interfaces for storage, authentication, viewers, and middleware
Built-in viewers supporting 100+ specialized file formats from DICOM to embroidery patterns
Shared links mountable as network drives with optional transcoding and Chromecast support
Pros
- Protocol-agnostic design eliminates vendor lock-in across heterogeneous storage environments
- Rich plugin ecosystem enables deep customization without forking core codebase
- Responsive interface optimized for both desktop and mobile workflows
- Mature codebase with 8+ years of active development and production use
Considerations
- AGPL-3.0 license requires derivative works to be open-sourced, limiting proprietary modifications
- Plugin-based architecture requires Go programming knowledge for backend extensions
- Advanced features like transcoding and specialized file format support depend on optional plugins
- Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure management and maintenance
Managed products teams compare with
When teams consider Filestash, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.
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Fit guide
Great for
- Organizations managing files across multiple cloud providers and on-premises storage systems
- Teams requiring specialized file format support in scientific, engineering, or creative workflows
- DevOps environments needing programmatic file access via API and MCP integration
- Users seeking a self-hosted alternative to commercial cloud storage interfaces
Not ideal when
- Teams requiring a fully managed SaaS solution without self-hosting responsibilities
- Organizations needing proprietary closed-source modifications due to AGPL licensing
- Users expecting native desktop application performance for large-scale file operations
- Environments where browser-based access poses security or compliance concerns
How teams use it
Multi-Cloud Data Management
Unified interface for accessing files across AWS S3, Google Drive, and on-premises FTP servers without switching tools or contexts.
Scientific Research Collaboration
Researchers preview and share FITS astronomy images, DICOM medical scans, and HDF5 datasets directly in the browser without specialized software.
Creative Asset Distribution
Design teams generate shareable links for PSD, AI, and 3D model files that clients can mount as network drives for seamless access.
DevOps Artifact Management
Engineers browse and retrieve build artifacts from Artifactory and S3 buckets through a consistent web interface with API automation.
Tech snapshot
JavaScript40%
Go36%
C++11%
CSS5%
Emacs Lisp3%
RPC2%
Frequently asked questions
What storage backends does Filestash support?
Filestash supports 20+ protocols including FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV, Git, S3, NFS, SMB, Artifactory, LDAP, MySQL, Storj, CardDAV, CalDAV, Backblaze B2, Minio, Dropbox, and Google Drive. Additional backends can be added via plugins.
How does the plugin architecture work?
Filestash exposes Go interfaces for storage backends, authentication, authorization, search, thumbnailing, and middleware. Developers implement these interfaces to extend functionality without modifying core code. Check /about in your instance to see installed plugins.
Can shared links be mounted as drives?
Yes, Filestash generates shared links that can be mounted locally as network drives, enabling file access through native OS file explorers rather than only through the web interface.
What specialized file formats are supported?
Filestash includes viewers for 100+ formats across domains: photography (RAW, HEIF), astronomy (FITS), GIS (GeoJSON, Shapefile), biomedical (DICOM, SAM), 3D (STL, GLTF, DWG), embroidery patterns, and data engineering formats (Parquet, Avro, HDF5).
Is Filestash suitable for production use?
Yes, Filestash has been in active development for over 8 years and is used in production environments. The project is working toward v1.0, which aims to exceed commercial alternatives by every measurable metric the maintainers prioritize.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 13,450
- Watchers
- 13,450
- Forks
- 951
LicenseAGPL-3.0
Repo age8 years old
Last commityesterday
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageJavaScript
Last synced 13 hours ago