copyparty
A portable file server with resumable uploads, deduplication, WebDAV, SFTP, FTP, TFTP, media indexing, thumbnails, and more, all in a single Python script.
What is copyparty?
Copyparty is a portable, all‑in‑one file server that enables fast, resumable file uploads and downloads via any web browser. It bundles support for multiple protocols (WebDAV, SFTP, FTP, TFTP, SMB), media indexing, thumbnails, and a full‑featured web UI, solving the need for a quick‑deploy, cross‑platform file‑sharing solution.
Developers, homelab enthusiasts, and anyone needing a lightweight, self‑hosted file server with broad protocol support and no complex setup. It’s especially useful for temporary sharing, media libraries, and environments where installing heavy software isn’t feasible.
Copyparty stands out by combining many file‑server features into a single, dependency‑light Python script that runs anywhere. Its resumable uploads, built‑in media indexing, and support for legacy browsers make it uniquely versatile and user‑friendly compared to more rigid alternatives.
Overview
Portable file server with accelerated resumable uploads, dedup, WebDAV, SFTP, FTP, TFTP, zeroconf, media indexer, thumbnails++ all in one file
Use Cases
Best For
- Quickly sharing files from any device without installing dedicated server software
- Setting up a personal media server with thumbnails and audio‑tag search
- Creating a write‑only dropbox for collaborators via FTP or WebDAV
- Hosting a temporary file server on a Raspberry Pi or old hardware
- Serving files over multiple protocols (HTTP, SFTP, FTP) from a single daemon
- Building a lightweight alternative to Nextcloud for basic file‑sharing needs
Not Ideal For
- Enterprises needing high-security, audited file servers with vendor support and SLAs
- Users requiring fast, reliable SMB/CIFS performance over wide-area networks
- Environments where even optional dependencies like FFmpeg are impractical, and full feature parity is needed
- Projects prioritizing minimalism and single-purpose tools over multi-protocol convenience
Pros & Cons
Pros
The up2k uploader uses chunk-based, checksummed transfers with automatic resume and deduplication, ensuring reliable and efficient file sharing even over unstable connections, as detailed in the upload section.
Supports HTTP(S), WebDAV, SFTP, FTP, TFTP, and SMB/CIFS from a single daemon, eliminating the need to run separate servers for different protocols, as highlighted in the features list.
Indexes audio tags, generates thumbnails for images/videos/audio, and includes a built-in media player, making it ideal for personal media libraries without additional software.
Runs on Python 2 or 3 with minimal dependencies and offers a self-extracting executable, allowing deployment on virtually any device without complex setup, as emphasized in the quickstart.
Cons
The built-in SMB server is explicitly marked as 'unsafe, slow, not recommended for wan' in the README, making it unsuitable for secure or high-performance SMB sharing needs.
The README documents numerous bugs, especially with older Python versions and specific OSes, indicating potential instability and requiring workarounds in non-standard environments.
Advanced features like video thumbnails and audio transcoding require optional dependencies such as FFmpeg, adding setup complexity for full functionality despite the core being lightweight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
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FileRise🗂️ FileRise – lightweight, self-hosted file manager & storage hub with granular ACLs, resumable uploads, encrypted folders, WebDAV & SSO. Fully Docker / Unraid compatible.
IFMImproved File Manager
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