Dufs vs Syncthing-Fork
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 | Syncthing-Fork |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,778 | ★ 2,894 |
| First released | 2022 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox, Google Drive |
What are Dufs and Syncthing-Fork?
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
Syncthing-Fork
Syncthing-Fork is a maintained Android wrapper around the Syncthing core that provides a polished mobile experience for continuous, peer-to-peer file synchronization. It adds battery-aware scheduling and per-folder controls on top of the Syncthing engine.
- Battery-aware sync scheduling
- Per-folder run conditions
- Wi-Fi and charging triggers
- Open peer-to-peer protocol
Dufs vs Syncthing-Fork: key differences
Dufs is written in Rust, while Syncthing-Fork is built with Java. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dufs versus MPL-2.0 for Syncthing-Fork. Dufs is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Syncthing-Fork. Syncthing-Fork is the more established project (first released 2017), while Dufs arrived in 2022. Dufs has the considerably larger community, at 10,778 GitHub stars versus 2,894. Dufs lists first-class Docker deployment; Syncthing-Fork 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 Syncthing-Fork if…
- Actively maintained
- No central server needed
Watch out for
- Android only
- Initial setup can be fiddly
Frequently asked questions
Is Dufs or Syncthing-Fork better?
Neither is universally better. Dufs has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dufs and Syncthing-Fork free and open-source?
Yes. Dufs is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Syncthing-Fork under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dufs and Syncthing-Fork with Docker?
Dufs: yes. Syncthing-Fork: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dufs or Syncthing-Fork?
Dufs has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Syncthing-Fork. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.