Plik
A scalable, self-hosted temporary file upload system similar to WeTransfer, built in Go.
What is Plik?
Plik is a temporary file upload system that allows users to share files with configurable expiration times and advanced security features. It provides a self-hosted alternative to services like WeTransfer, with a modern web interface and powerful command-line client. The system supports multiple storage backends, authentication providers, and end-to-end encryption for secure file transfers.
Developers, sysadmins, and organizations needing a secure, self-hosted file-sharing solution with control over data storage and privacy. It's ideal for teams requiring temporary file transfers with audit trails and encryption.
Plik offers a fully open-source, scalable alternative to commercial file-sharing services, with features like end-to-end encryption, multiple storage backends, and a streamlined CLI. Its self-hosted nature gives users complete control over data and infrastructure.
Overview
Plik is a temporary file upload system (Wetransfer like) in Go.
Use Cases
Best For
- Sharing sensitive files with end-to-end encryption
- Self-hosting a WeTransfer-like service for internal team use
- Temporary file transfers with automatic expiration and cleanup
- Streaming large files directly between users without storage
- Integrating file uploads into CI/CD pipelines via CLI
- Hosting a file-sharing service with multiple authentication providers
Not Ideal For
- Users needing instant, no-setup file sharing without server deployment or management
- Applications requiring long-term file retention or permanent archival storage
- Small teams or projects where cloud-based services are more cost-effective and require no DevOps overhead
Pros & Cons
Pros
Supports local disk, S3, OpenStack Swift, and Google Cloud Storage, enabling deployment across on-premises and cloud environments as detailed in the features.
Integrates Age encryption for secure transfers between CLI and web interfaces, ensuring privacy with configurable password protection and OneShot downloads.
Offers a powerful CLI client and third-party integrations like ShareX and Thunderbird addons, making file sharing accessible from various tools.
Designed for scalability with multiple metadata backends (SQLite, PostgreSQL, MySQL) and authentication providers, giving full control over data and infrastructure.
Cons
Setting up Plik requires configuring storage backends and authentication providers, which can be challenging for non-technical users without dedicated DevOps resources.
Users must handle server updates, backups, and security patches, unlike managed services, adding ongoing operational overhead.
Focuses primarily on file upload and download, lacking features like collaborative editing or real-time notifications that some commercial alternatives offer.
Open Source Alternative To
Plik is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Frequently Asked Questions
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