copyparty

copyparty is a lightweight, Python‑centric web file server that exposes a rich set of protocols (HTTP, WebDAV, FTP, TFTP, SMB/CIFS) from a single process. At its core it is a single‑threaded event loop built on the asyncio framework, which allows it to handle thousands of concurrent resumable uploads and downloads without spawning a dedicated worker per connection. The server’s API surface is intentionally minimal: the web UI, a RESTful JSON endpoint for file metadata, and protocol adapters that map standard filesystem operations onto the same underlying storage layer. Because the code base is less than 5 k lines of pure Python, developers can inspect or extend the logic in a matter of minutes.

• Language & Runtime: Pure Python 3 (Python 2 support retained for legacy deployments). The application relies on the standard library plus optional packages (aiohttp, pywebdav, pysmb), which are bundled in the self‑extracting installer (copyparty-sfx.py).
• Frameworks: asyncio for asynchronous I/O, aiohttp.web for the HTTP/WebDAV server, and a custom lightweight WebSocket handler for real‑time upload progress.
• Storage: The file system is the only persistent backend; no database is required. Permissions are enforced via per‑folder and per‑user ACL tables that can be stored in a simple SQLite file or an external key/value store.
• Protocols: Each protocol is implemented as a plugin that plugs into the core event loop. This modularity means you can drop in an FTP adapter or replace the SMB handler without touching the UI code.

• Resumable Transfers: HTTP Range and WebDAV PUT/REPORT support allow clients to resume interrupted uploads/downloads.
• Real‑time Progress: WebSocket broadcasts keep the UI in sync with server‑side upload progress and ETA calculations.
• File Operations: The API exposes CRUD operations (/api/v1/file/<path>) that can be consumed by custom scripts or third‑party tools.
• Sharing & Self‑Destruct: Tokens can be generated for read‑only or time‑limited access, enabling secure file sharing without a full authentication layer.
• CLI & Automation: A minimal command‑line interface (copyparty --cli) allows scripted uploads, scheduled cleanups, and integration with CI pipelines.

copyparty is designed for edge‑side deployment: a single binary runs on Raspberry Pi, Intel NUCs, or cloud VMs. It requires only Python and the optional protocol libraries; no external services are needed. For production, a reverse proxy (NGINX or Caddy) can provide TLS termination and basic auth. Containerization is straightforward—Docker images are provided on Docker Hub, and the application can be run as a sidecar in Kubernetes with a hostPath volume for persistence. Horizontal scaling is achieved by deploying multiple instances behind a load balancer, each serving the same shared filesystem (e.g., NFS or Ceph).

The plugin architecture is exposed through a simple copyparty.plugins package. Developers can write custom protocol adapters, authentication backends, or even a new UI theme by overriding the Jinja templates. Webhooks are supported via POST callbacks on file events, enabling integration with CI/CD pipelines or notification services. The REST API is fully documented in the repo’s docs/api.md, and the source code includes extensive type hints, making it IDE‑friendly for rapid development.

• Configuration: A single copyparty.toml file controls everything—protocol ports, ACLs, storage paths, and plugin settings.
• Documentation: The README is exhaustive, with a dedicated “features” section that compares copyparty to similar tools. The code comments are concise but explanatory, and the project follows semantic versioning.
• Community: The issue tracker is active, with a dedicated “not my bugs” label for community‑reported regressions. Contributors can submit pull requests that pass the automated test suite, which covers unit tests for each protocol adapter.

• Personal File Server: Quickly expose a folder over the LAN or Internet for family photo sharing, with optional self‑destruct timers.
• Development Environments: Integrate into CI pipelines to serve build artifacts or logs via HTTP/WebDAV, enabling easy inspection from any browser.
• IoT & Edge Devices: Run on low‑power hardware to collect sensor data via FTP/TFTP and expose it for remote monitoring.
• Internal Corporate Tool: Use the SMB/CIFS adapter to provide a lightweight file share for small teams without setting up an Active Directory domain controller.

• Zero‑Configuration Runtime: No database migrations or external services; a single command starts a fully functional server.
• Performance: Asynchronous I/O and resumable transfers make it faster than legacy FTP servers on high‑latency links.
• Licensing: MIT‑licensed, allowing unrestricted use in commercial products.
• Extensibility: The minimal core and well‑defined plugin hooks let developers tailor the stack to niche protocols or custom authentication schemes.

For developers