Seafile
This is a cross-platform file hosting and synchronization platform that helps individuals and organizations to manage, sync, and collaborate on files across multiple devices and users. First launched in 2012 by a team of engineers and researchers with a focus on data privacy and flexible workflows, Seafile has since grown into an alternative to commercial cloud storage products like Dropbox and Google Drive except, unlike those tools, Seafile is designed for self-hosting and maximum data control.
The core idea behind Seafile is straightforward give users and small businesses total control over their files and collaboration environment without reliance on external cloud providers. With Seafile, the team’s files reside on your own server or chosen cloud environment, removing concerns about vendor lock-in, privacy, and compliance
Open Source
The core server (Seafile Server Core) is released under the AGPLv3 license, so the software remains free and open for inspection, modification, and redistribution under similar terms. All major components, including desktop clients, mobile apps, and the web interface, have their source codes published and maintained in public repositories, with active contributions from an international development community. This transparency fosters rapid innovation, continual improvement, and confidence for organizations with compliance or customization needs.
It is distributed in two main editions: the Community Edition, which is completely free and open source and targets individuals, developers, and small teams; and the Professional Edition, which adds enterprise features and professional support for larger deployments but still builds upon the open-source foundation.
Features
It provides a suite of features designed to cover more than basic file syncing:
- Users can assign custom properties to files, such as ownership, status, and security level, and later filter or organize files using these properties. AI-based tools can automatically generate file descriptions and extract key information, streamlining document management.
- It offers multiple ways to view and interact with files, including table, gallery, kanban (for workflows), and map views. These are fully customizable to support various business workflows and make it easier to navigate large datasets.
- The platform delivers fast, reliable file synchronization across PCs (Windows, macOS, Linux), mobile devices (iOS, Android), and web browsers. Its architecture includes selective sync, file deduplication, on-demand downloading (via the virtual drive client), and the ability to sync only changed portions of files for bandwidth efficiency.
- Seafile provides powerful sharing tools—files and folders can be shared with specific users or groups, with finely-tuned permissions (read-only, read/write, preview) set not only at the folder but also subfolder level. Share links can be protected with passwords and expiration dates, and every access is logged for compliance.
- Tags can be arranged in parent-child relationships, enabling structured and scalable file categorization. AI can assist by suggesting or auto-generating tags.
- The SeaDoc collaborative editor lets teams co-edit documents in real-time with revision tracking, comments, and support for rich elements like videos and tables. Additionally, teams can build hierarchical wikis for internal knowledge management—a critical component for distributed or growing businesses.
- Enterprise-grade encryption is central to Seafile’s design. It supports client-side encryption, two-factor authentication, remote data wipe, comprehensive audit logging, and automatic virus scanning to ensure data is protected at all times.
Integration Capabilities: Seafile integrates with authentication solutions like LDAP/AD and SAML for enterprise environments, and works well with document collaboration suites such as OnlyOffice for seamless editing of Office documents within the cloud.