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.
| Feature | Dufs | Kubo (IPFS) |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| 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 | ★ 10,778 | ★ 17,139 |
| First released | 2022 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox |
What are Dufs and Kubo (IPFS)?
Dufs
Dufs is a lightweight single-binary file server that supports static serving, uploading, searching, and WebDAV. It offers access control, resumable uploads, and a clean web UI.
- Single-binary file server
- WebDAV support
- Access control and resumable uploads
Kubo (IPFS)
Kubo is the reference implementation of IPFS, a peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol for decentralized file storage and sharing. It enables content-addressed distribution of files across a global network.
- Content-addressed storage
- Decentralized peer-to-peer network
- HTTP gateway support
Dufs vs Kubo (IPFS): key differences
Dufs is written in Rust, while Kubo (IPFS) is built with Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dufs versus MIT for Kubo (IPFS). Dufs is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Kubo (IPFS). Kubo (IPFS) is the more established project (first released 2015), while Dufs arrived in 2022.
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 10.8k GitHub stars
Choose Kubo (IPFS) if…
- Content-addressed storage
- Censorship resistant
- Reference IPFS implementation
Watch out for
- Heavy bandwidth chatter
- Content vanishes without pinning
- Concepts take learning
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.
Which is lighter on resources, Dufs or Kubo (IPFS)?
Dufs has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Kubo (IPFS). Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.