Uppy
A modular JavaScript file uploader for web browsers, with resumable uploads and many file sources.
- Stars
- 31.1k
- Forks
- 2.1k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
Uppy is a JavaScript library that adds a file upload interface to a web page or app. You install only the pieces you need, such as a drag-and-drop dashboard, a webcam capture option, or a destination like tus or AWS S3. It can also import files from sources like Google Drive, Dropbox, and remote URLs, usually with a companion server component.
- Add a drag-and-drop upload dashboard to a website
- Let users upload large files that can resume after a network interruption
- Import files from Dropbox or Google Drive into your app via a companion server
- Send uploaded files to an encoding pipeline such as Transloadit
Great for
- Web developers who need a ready-made file upload interface in their app
- Teams that want resumable uploads for large files via the tus standard
- Projects using React, Svelte, Vue, or plain JavaScript
- Developers who want to build a custom upload UI with headless components or hooks
Not ideal for
- People who only need a basic HTML file input, since the README itself notes that a plain file input may be enough in many cases
- Projects that cannot run a server component if they want cloud imports like Google Drive or Dropbox, because those need @uppy/companion
- Non-developers looking for a finished end-user app; this is a library to embed in your own product
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js and npm, or a bundler, for the npm install route
Install core, dashboard, and tus packages
npm install @uppy/core @uppy/dashboard @uppy/tus - 2
Run it
- Install the packages with npm
- Add the uppy CSS to your page's head or import it in JS
- Create an Uppy instance and attach the Dashboard with a target element
- Attach the Tus plugin with an endpoint and test an upload
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Add @uppy/companion to enable Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, and remote URL imports
- Use the Golden Retriever plugin to recover files after a browser crash
- Use the Transloadit plugin to send files to its encoding backend with server-signed options
- Use headless components or hooks if you need a custom UI instead of the Dashboard
Downloads
Strengths
- Modular plugin design, so you include only the parts you use
- Resumable uploads through the open tus standard
- Works with plain JS and several frameworks, with a stated MIT license
Trade-offs
- Some sources (Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and others) require running a companion server
- The README's pre-built CDN bundle is not recommended for production because it includes most plugins
- Browser support is stated as an aim for recent Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, not a guarantee
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uppy (this) | 31.1k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | Web developers who need a ready-made file upload interface in their app |
| filepond | 16.4k | Library | intermediate | 9 days ago | Web developers who need a polished upload widget in a site or app |
| tabler | 42k | Library | beginner | 8 days ago | Developers building internal admin panels or dashboards quickly |
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.