Ceph vs Dufs
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Ceph
Distributed object, block, and file storage platform
VS
Dufs
Distinctive utility file server with WebDAV support
| Feature | Ceph | Dufs |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,905 | ★ 10,562 |
| First released | 2006 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Amazon S3, Google Drive | Dropbox, Google Drive |
Why pick each one
Choose Ceph if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 16.9k GitHub stars
Choose Dufs if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.6k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Ceph or Dufs better?
Neither is universally better. Ceph has the larger community, while Dufs is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Ceph and Dufs free and open-source?
Yes. Ceph is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Dufs under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ceph and Dufs with Docker?
Ceph: yes. Dufs: yes.