Surfer

Surfer is a lightweight, self‑hosted file transfer and web‑based file manager written in Node.js. Its primary goal is to expose a local or networked filesystem through a browser‑friendly interface while providing a programmatic API for automation and integration. The project is mature (first released 2016) and licensed under the permissive MIT license, making it attractive for internal tooling or public hosting where open‑source freedom is desired.

Key Features

• Web UI for File Management – Browse, upload, download, rename, delete, and share files via a responsive interface.
• RESTful API – Exposes CRUD operations on files and directories, authentication tokens, and permission controls.
• Authentication & Authorization – Supports local users, password hashing, and optional OAuth integration through middleware hooks.
• Configurable Storage – Works with the local filesystem or any network‑mounted volume; path resolution is sandboxed to prevent directory traversal.
• Event Hooks & Webhooks – Allows external services to react to file events (upload, delete) via HTTP callbacks or Node event emitters.
• Plugin Architecture – Custom plugins can extend the UI, add new endpoints, or hook into lifecycle events using a simple JavaScript API.

Technical Stack

The minimal footprint and absence of a heavy database make Surfer ideal for Dockerized deployments or embedded usage in larger Node applications.

Architecture

Surfer follows a classic MVC pattern with the following components:

1. Router Layer – Express routers expose REST endpoints (/api/files, /auth) and serve static UI files.
2. Controller Layer – Business logic for file operations, permission checks, and event emission.
3. Model Layer – Simple abstractions over the filesystem; user accounts are represented as JSON objects.
4. View Layer – EJS templates rendered server‑side; client‑side scripts handle drag‑and‑drop uploads and real‑time updates via Socket.io.

The plugin system injects modules into the router/controller pipeline at runtime, allowing developers to add new routes or middleware without modifying core code.

Deployment & Infrastructure

• Containerization – A ready‑to‑use Dockerfile is available; the image exposes port 3000 and mounts a host directory as /data.
• Scalability – Stateless HTTP requests mean horizontal scaling is straightforward; a shared filesystem or NFS mount ensures consistency across replicas.
• Resource Footprint – Roughly 50 MB base image; memory usage stays below 100 MiB under normal load, making it suitable for edge devices or low‑power servers.

Integration & Extensibility

Surfer’s API is intentionally simple yet expressive:

GET /api/files?path=/docs   # List directory contents
POST /api/files/upload      # Multipart upload
DELETE /api/files?path=/tmp/file.txt  # Delete file

Plugins can register new endpoints or override existing ones. The event emitter fires fileUploaded, fileDeleted, etc., which can be listened to by external Node scripts or converted into webhooks.

Developer Experience

• Configuration – A single config.json file controls port, base path, authentication backends, and plugin loading. Environment variables override defaults for CI/CD pipelines.
• Documentation – The README provides a quick start, API reference, and plugin guide. Inline comments in the source are plentiful, aiding comprehension.
• Community – While modest, the GitHub issue tracker is responsive; contributors can add plugins or fix bugs with minimal friction.

Use Cases

• Internal File Sharing – Teams can host Surfer on an internal server to share build artifacts, logs, or documentation.
• CI/CD Artifacts – Integrate Surfer into a Jenkins or GitHub Actions pipeline to expose build outputs via HTTP.
• Educational Platforms – Deploy as a sandboxed file manager for coding exercises where students need file upload/download capabilities.
• Embedded Systems – Use Surfer on a Raspberry Pi to provide a web UI for media or sensor data storage.

Advantages Over Alternatives

Developers seeking a lightweight, extensible file transfer solution that can be embedded in existing Node ecosystems will find Surfer a compelling choice. Its clear architecture, straightforward API, and container‑friendly design make it easy to adopt, customize, and scale.