Dufs vs Kubo (IPFS)
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?
Dufs
Distinctive utility file server with WebDAV support
VS
Kubo (IPFS)
Reference implementation of the InterPlanetary File System
| Feature | Dufs | Kubo (IPFS) |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary, snap |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,562 | ★ 17,093 |
| First released | 2022 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox |
Why pick each one
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
Choose Kubo (IPFS) if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 17.1k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is Dufs or Kubo (IPFS) better?
Neither is universally better. Kubo (IPFS) 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 Dufs and Kubo (IPFS) free and open-source?
Yes. Dufs is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Kubo (IPFS) under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dufs and Kubo (IPFS) with Docker?
Dufs: yes. Kubo (IPFS): yes.