Manyfold

Manyfold is a self‑hosted web platform engineered to manage, organize, and render collections of 3D models for printing workflows. Built on the mature Ruby on Rails stack, it exposes a conventional HTTP API and server‑side rendered pages while delegating interactive 3D visualization to client‑side JavaScript. The core of the application is a PostgreSQL database that stores model metadata, tags, collections, and user permissions. Asynchronous processing—file uploads, thumbnail generation, model analysis—is offloaded to Sidekiq workers, ensuring the request‑response cycle remains snappy.

• Backend: Ruby 3.4 + Rails 7, following standard MVC conventions. Sidekiq handles background jobs; Redis is used for job queuing and caching.
• Frontend: Bootstrap 5 for UI layout, TypeScript + Three.js for real‑time 3D rendering in the browser. Server‑side 3D logic uses Mittsu, a Ruby port of Three.js, enabling pre‑processing and export tasks without JavaScript.
• Database: PostgreSQL in production; SQLite used during development. Migrations are managed via Rails’ ActiveRecord.
• Supporting Tools: libarchive for robust file extraction, ImageMagick for thumbnail creation, Assimp for model format parsing, and ngrok support for ActivityPub federation debugging.

• Model Import & Export: Accepts common 3D file formats (STL, OBJ, etc.), parses them with Assimp, and stores geometry for rendering.
• Metadata & Tagging: Rich tagging system with hierarchical collections, creator attribution, source links, and custom fields.
• 3D Rendering: Client‑side Three.js powered viewer with orbit controls, wireframe toggles, and material previews.
• File Organization: Disk‑side housekeeping that auto‑renames and relocates files based on tags or custom scripts.
• Duplicate Detection & Validation: Identifies duplicate meshes, nested models, and inefficient file sizes.
• Federation & Sharing: Public/private sharing, following content on other instances, and Fediverse integration via ActivityPub.

Manyfold is designed for Docker‑friendly deployment. A single container runs the Rails app, while a Sidekiq worker container processes background jobs. Redis and PostgreSQL can be separate services or bundled via Docker Compose for quick starts. The application is stateless beyond the database, making horizontal scaling straightforward: duplicate the web tier behind a load balancer and share Redis for job queues. For production, the repo recommends using system packages (libarchive, ImageMagick, Assimp) but container images can bundle these dependencies for portability.

• API: RESTful endpoints expose model, tag, and collection data. While the current API is primarily server‑rendered, developers can curl or consume JSON responses for custom tooling.
• Webhooks: Sidekiq jobs emit events that can be hooked into external systems (e.g., CI pipelines for print job monitoring).
• Plugin Hooks: The Rails architecture allows custom engines or gems to extend functionality; for example, adding new file format support or integrating with external print schedulers.
• Customization: Theming via Bootstrap variables, custom TypeScript modules for the viewer, and editable Ruby models for business logic.

The project follows Rails conventions closely, making onboarding intuitive for seasoned Ruby developers. Documentation is concise but covers installation prerequisites, environment variables, and a “good first issue” label to surface beginner tasks. The community is active on GitHub issues and a Matrix channel, offering real‑time support. Licensing under an open source license (not specified but implied) removes vendor lock‑in and encourages contribution.

• Print Shops: Centralized catalog of printable assets with metadata for print settings and version control.
• Maker Spaces: Shared repository where members can upload, tag, and preview models before printing.
• Educational Institutions: Classroom projects where students submit 3D files, and instructors can audit file quality and duplicates.
• Open‑Source Projects: Host public instances that federate via ActivityPub, allowing community members to discover and follow new models.

• Performance: Server‑side 3D processing via Mittsu reduces client load; Sidekiq ensures heavy tasks don’t block users.
• Flexibility: Rails’ pluggable architecture lets developers add custom processing pipelines or integrate with other services.
• Self‑Hosting: Full control over data, privacy, and compliance—critical for industrial or regulated environments.
• Extensibility: Rich tagging, federation, and automation features out of the box reduce the need for bespoke tooling.
• Community & Support: Active contributors, matrix chat, and issue tracking provide rapid assistance.

In sum, Manyfold offers a robust, Rails‑centric platform for developers needing an on‑premise 3D asset management system with interactive rendering, automated organization, and extensible integration points.