ownCloud Infinite Scale vs Tiny File Manager
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | ownCloud Infinite Scale | Tiny File Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 69 · Good |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,127 | ★ 5,978 |
| First released | 2020 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Google Drive |
What are ownCloud Infinite Scale and Tiny File Manager?
ownCloud Infinite Scale
ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS) is the Go-based successor to the PHP ownCloud server. It provides file sync and share with a microservices architecture, Spaces for team collaboration, and OpenID Connect authentication.
- Built in Go for performance
- Spaces-based collaboration
- OpenID Connect support
Tiny File Manager
Tiny File Manager is a web-based file manager contained in a single PHP file. It provides multi-user support, file editing, archive handling, and a clean responsive interface.
- Single-file deployment
- Built-in code editor
- Multi-user access control
ownCloud Infinite Scale vs Tiny File Manager: key differences
OwnCloud Infinite Scale is written in Go, while Tiny File Manager is built with PHP. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for ownCloud Infinite Scale versus GPL-3.0 for Tiny File Manager. Tiny File Manager is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for ownCloud Infinite Scale. Tiny File Manager is the more established project (first released 2016), while ownCloud Infinite Scale arrived in 2020. Tiny File Manager has the considerably larger community, at 5,978 GitHub stars versus 2,127.
Why pick each one
Choose ownCloud Infinite Scale if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Choose Tiny File Manager if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is ownCloud Infinite Scale or Tiny File Manager better?
Tiny File Manager is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider ownCloud Infinite Scale if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are ownCloud Infinite Scale and Tiny File Manager free and open-source?
Yes. ownCloud Infinite Scale is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Tiny File Manager under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ownCloud Infinite Scale and Tiny File Manager with Docker?
ownCloud Infinite Scale: yes. Tiny File Manager: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, ownCloud Infinite Scale or Tiny File Manager?
Tiny File Manager has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for ownCloud Infinite Scale. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.
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