Dufs vs SparkleShare
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 | SparkleShare |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 71 · Good |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,778 | ★ 4,981 |
| First released | 2022 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox |
What are Dufs and SparkleShare?
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
SparkleShare
SparkleShare is a file synchronization tool that uses Git repositories as the storage backend, giving every change a full version history. It is well suited to syncing collaborative projects and small text-heavy files across machines.
- Git-backed versioning
- Automatic conflict handling
- End-to-end encryption option
- Self-hosted on any SSH host
Dufs vs SparkleShare: key differences
Dufs is written in Rust, while SparkleShare is built with C#. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dufs versus GPL-3.0 for SparkleShare. Dufs is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for SparkleShare. SparkleShare is the more established project (first released 2010), while Dufs arrived in 2022. Dufs has the considerably larger community, at 10,778 GitHub stars versus 4,981. Dufs lists first-class Docker deployment; SparkleShare does not.
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 SparkleShare if…
- Full history of every change
- Works over plain SSH
Watch out for
- Poor with large binary files
- Slower development pace
Frequently asked questions
Is Dufs or SparkleShare better?
Dufs is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider SparkleShare if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Dufs and SparkleShare free and open-source?
Yes. Dufs is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SparkleShare under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dufs and SparkleShare with Docker?
Dufs: yes. SparkleShare: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dufs or SparkleShare?
Dufs has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for SparkleShare. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.