copyparty
A portable file server you run from one Python file, for uploading and sharing files via web browser.
- Stars
- 47.2k
- Forks
- 1.9k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Python
- Last update
- 16 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
copyparty turns almost any device into a file server that you can reach from a web browser, with resumable uploads and downloads. The server needs only Python, and the README says its other dependencies are optional. It also speaks several file-transfer protocols, including WebDAV, SFTP, FTP, TFTP and SMB.
- Upload large files from a browser and resume them if the connection drops
- Share a folder with others through temporary links
- Mount the server as a WebDAV drive from another machine
- Browse and play music or video stored on the server in the built-in media player
Great for
- People who want to share files on a home network from an old computer or NAS
- Anyone who needs resumable uploads that survive a dropped connection
- Users who want one portable script rather than a full install
- Developers who want WebDAV, SFTP or FTP access to a folder
Not ideal for
- People who need a hardened internet-facing service with minimal setup, since the README says SMB is unsafe and not recommended over WAN
- Users who need a managed cloud sync product with desktop clients
- Anyone unwilling to read configuration docs, because permissions and volumes are set per folder
How to get it
- 1
Download the app
You'll need: Python 2 or 3
Download the single-file server (from README quickstart)
wget https://github.com/9001/copyparty/releases/latest/download/copyparty-sfx.py - 2
Run it
- Download copyparty-sfx.py from the latest release
- Run it with Python from the folder you want to serve
- Open the address the server prints in a web browser
- Drag files into the browser to test an upload
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Add accounts and per-folder permissions through the server config, as described in the accounts and volumes section
- Enable file indexing to get search by size, date and tags
- Turn on zeroconf so the server is announced on the local network
- Use the built-in share feature to create temporary links
- Enable deduplication to avoid storing identical files twice
Downloads
Strengths
- Runs from a single file with Python as the only required dependency
- Supports many protocols (HTTP, WebDAV, SFTP, FTP, TFTP, SMB) in one program
- Active project with a large star count and recent updates
Trade-offs
- Feature set is large, so the documentation is long and configuration takes time to learn
- The README itself warns that SMB is unsafe and slow and not recommended for WAN use
- Some features depend on optional extras and per-folder settings that need careful review
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| copyparty (this) | 47.2k | App | beginner | 16 days ago | People who want to share files on a home network from an old computer or NAS |
| sharedrop | 10.8k | App | intermediate | 1.7 years ago | People who want to move files between phones and computers in a browser |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.