Are you looking for the easiest way to launch a file server for internal or external access? Copyparty is what you were looking for. With the ability to get started without configuration, Copyparty allows you to get a file server up and running in seconds.
What is Copyparty?
I love living in the modern age of open source. These days, there seems to be easy-to-set-up software for just about everything. Copyparty is one of those open source software programs that I wish existed many years ago.
With Copyparty, you can easily set up a file server on any computer in your home. I used it on both my high-end Docker server and my old Raspberry Pi 3b, and it worked great on both systems. At its core, Copyparty is designed to deploy an ultra-lightweight file server with little to no configuration required.
Copyparty can be used without installing anything
Honestly, I was surprised to see that Copyparty could be run without having to install any dependencies. All you need is to install Python on the source system and it will work straight away. Installing Python on Windows is simple, you can easily find Python installers for Mac and it usually comes pre-installed on Linux. As I mentioned, I used this method to run Copyparty on my Raspberry Pi 3b as well as my MacBook Pro M1 Max.
Deploying Copyparty with the Quick Start method is a great way to test the application and see how it works. I really liked being able to quickly deploy it this way without having to set up a Docker container or install any dependencies.
- Brand
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Raspberry Pi
- Processor
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Cortex-A72 (ARM v8)
With the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, you can create all sorts of fun projects and upgrade the gadgets in your home. You can also install a full desktop operating system and use it like a regular computer.
I recommend deploying in Docker for security
If you want a little more control over the system, there are other methods to install it completely. I opted for the Docker installation method on my VM server, which deployed in about 60 seconds from start to finish.
I created a simple configuration file for Copyparty that included user accounts, passwords, and settings so that anonymous users could browse, but not download. It is also possible to make it so that anonymous users cannot even browse.
The reason why Docker gives you increased security is its handling of volumes and bind mounts. Copyparty simply makes available all the documents and folders you deploy it to. With Docker, you can either give Copyparty its own Docker volume or bind a separate mount from the rest of your system.
Moving Copyparty from just reading your home or download directory to its own separate area just gives an extra layer of security. Additionally, I couldn’t get authentication to work with the self-extracting/quickstart version, but authentication was up and running within seconds of deploying the Docker version.
But there’s one thing I would change
My only complaint with Copyparty is the way it handles users and authentication. All usernames and passwords must be stored in a plain text configuration file, and end users have no way to change their passwords. All things considered, this is pretty insecure and just not a good practice.
I understand why Copyparty works this way: it’s lighter to operate without a database backend, which is required for hashed passwords and the ability for users to change their own password. However, it would be nice to have a version of Copyparty as is, and then one with a bit more robust user authentication platform.
If you’re hoping to host critical or ultra-secure sites with Copyparty, I’d probably put a pause on that. The authentication system is simply not up to par.
However, if you plan to only access Copyparty internally, through a Cloudflare tunnel or with a reverse proxy that has its own built-in authentication system, then that’s a whole different story.
Just make sure the content you store in Copyparty is up to the level of security you give it.
Copyparty makes it easy to mount a remote folder on your computer
One thing that really surprised me with Copyparty was how easy it was to mount a remote folder on my computer. Copyparty actually gives you the exact command to run to mount its files and folders on your Windows, macOS or Linux computer.
If you’re working on a coding project with a friend or just want to access files on your home server from anywhere in your File Explorer, this feature is pretty cool and easy to set up.
- Operating system
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Linux, macOS, Windows
- Supported Desktop Browsers
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All
- Brand
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Copy party
- Price
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Free
- Developer(s)
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travel team
Copyparty allows you to turn almost any device into a file server with uploads/downloads resumable using any web browser. Running on Raspberry Pis, desktops, servers, laptops and more, Copyparty is a simple and easy way to deploy a file server almost anywhere.
Ultimately, I really like Copyparty. I use a few Minecraft servers that use fully custom modpacks or modified modpacks, and I find Copyparty to be a very easy way to distribute the modpacks. This is just one use case I can think of in my own workflow, but I’m constantly thinking of other ways to use this great software.
If I ever need a simple file server, Copyparty will definitely be my choice.
