Dufs vs Syncthing
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Syncthing
Continuous peer-to-peer file synchronization
| Feature | Dufs | Syncthing |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,778 | ★ 88,884 |
| First released | 2022 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox, Resilio Sync |
What are Dufs and Syncthing?
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
Syncthing is a continuous file synchronization program that syncs files between two or more devices directly, without a central server. It is ideal for individuals who want private, serverless sync across their own machines. It is distributed as a single binary and also runs well in Docker.
- Fully decentralized peer-to-peer sync
- TLS-encrypted transfers
- No cloud account required
- Cross-platform with mobile apps
Dufs vs Syncthing: key differences
Dufs is written in Rust, while Syncthing is built with Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dufs versus MPL-2.0 for Syncthing. Dufs is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Syncthing. Syncthing is the more established project (first released 2014), while Dufs arrived in 2022. Syncthing has the considerably larger community, at 88,884 GitHub stars versus 10,778.
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 if…
- No central server needed
- Very private by design
- Lightweight and reliable
Watch out for
- No web file browsing
- Not a sharing platform
Frequently asked questions
Is Dufs or Syncthing better?
Neither is universally better. Syncthing has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dufs and Syncthing free and open-source?
Yes. Dufs is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Syncthing under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dufs and Syncthing with Docker?
Dufs: yes. Syncthing: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Dufs or Syncthing?
Dufs has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Syncthing. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.