Sync-in – Self-Hosted File Sync and Collaboration Platform

TL;DR

TL;DR: Sync-in is an open-source, self-hosted platform for file storage, sharing, and real-time collaboration. Deploy it on your own server or cloud, keep all data in your infrastructure, and avoid vendor lock-in.

Source and Accuracy Notes

⚠️ This section is MANDATORY. All links must be verified from actual source, not guessed.

• Project page: sync-in.com ← visited and verified
• Source repository: github.com/sync-in/server ← README read, 1629 stars
• License: AGPL-3.0 ← verified via GitHub API
• HN launch thread: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41725273 ← Show HN: Sync-in
• Docker Hub: hub.docker.com/u/syncin ← 95K+ pulls

What Is Sync-in?

Sync-in is a sovereign, open-source platform for file storage, sharing, synchronization, and team collaboration. It is designed for organizations that need full control over their data while still offering modern collaboration features.

The platform runs entirely on your own infrastructure. Your files never leave your server, and you can self-host it on-premises or in your own cloud account. Sync-in supports granular access permissions, nested shares, protected external links, and full-text search across your document repository.

Key capabilities include:

• Spaces and guests — organize files into spaces with controlled access; invite external guests without full account creation
• Protected shares — public links with optional expiration, password protection, and download limits
• Desktop sync clients — keep local folders synchronized across team machines
• WebDAV support — mount the file system or integrate with existing tools
• Full-text search — find content inside documents, not just filenames
• Office collaboration — edit documents directly in the browser with real-time collaboration

Setup Workflow

Step 1: Try the Demo

Before self-hosting, you can explore Sync-in via the live demo at sync-in.com/docs/demo.

Step 2: Choose Your Deployment Method

Sync-in supports three deployment paths:

Docker (recommended for most users):

docker pull syncin/server:latest
docker run -d -p 8080:8080 syncin/server

Then open http://localhost:8080 and sign in with [email protected] / password. Change the default credentials immediately.

Docker Compose (for production):

services:
  server:
    image: syncin/server:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
    environment:
      - TZ=UTC

Kubernetes via Helm:

helm repo add syncin https://charts.sunc.xyz
helm install syncin syncin/syncin -n syncin --create-namespace

For full Kubernetes with 3 nodes (minimum 4 vCPU x 16GB RAM each):

helm install -n syncin syncin https://charts.sunc.xyz/syncin-1.0.0.tgz

Step 3: Connect a Storage Backend

By default, Sync-in stores files locally. For production, configure an S3-compatible object storage (AWS S3, MinIO, Cloudflare R2, etc.) to decouple storage from the application layer.

Step 4: Configure Users and Spaces

After the first login, create spaces for different teams or projects. Each space can have its own access rules, storage quota, and guest access policy.

Deeper Analysis

Architecture

Sync-in uses a server-client architecture where the server handles authentication, storage, access control, and real-time collaboration signals. Clients (web, desktop, mobile) sync against the server via WebDAV or the native sync protocol.

The server is built with TypeScript and uses a PostgreSQL-compatible database backend for metadata. File content is stored via the configured storage driver (local disk or S3-compatible).

Comparison with Nextcloud

Nextcloud is the most common alternative for self-hosted file sync. Where Nextcloud is a general-purpose cloud suite with many optional apps, Sync-in focuses specifically on governance, access control, and compliance. Sync-in’s permission model uses nested shares and role-based access that is purpose-built for enterprise document workflows.

Comparison with Google Workspace / OneDrive

Sync-in offers the collaboration features of Google Drive or OneDrive while keeping data entirely on your own infrastructure. There is no SaaS subscription, no data leaving your servers, and no per-seat pricing.

Security Model

All data is stored on your own infrastructure. Access is controlled via role-based permissions at the space and folder level. External sharing supports protected links with optional password protection, expiration dates, and download quotas. The platform also supports WebDAV access with scoped credentials.

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• [ ] Deployed via Docker on a test VPS
• [ ] Created a space and invited a test guest user
• [ ] Tested protected link sharing with expiration
• [ ] Connected WebDAV client (Cyberduck, rclone, etc.)
• [ ] Verified full-text search returns expected results
• [ ] Reviewed storage configuration for S3 backend in production

Security Notes

• Change the default [email protected] password on first login
• Run behind a reverse proxy (nginx, Caddy) with TLS termination
• Use a separate PostgreSQL instance for production deployments rather than the embedded SQLite development database
• Restrict WebDAV access to internal networks or VPN connections
• Enable audit logging and review access logs regularly

FAQ

Q: Does Sync-in support mobile apps? A: Yes. Sync-in provides mobile clients for iOS and Android. You can also access the platform via any modern web browser.

Q: Can I migrate from Nextcloud? A: Sync-in provides import tools for migrating spaces and content from Nextcloud. See the migration guide in the official documentation.

Q: How does the licensing work for commercial use? A: Sync-in is AGPL-3.0 licensed. Commercial use is permitted under the terms of AGPL-3.0. For custom licensing needs (e.g., proprietary embedding), contact the team directly.

Q: What are the hardware requirements? A: For a small team (up to 10 users), 2 vCPUs and 4GB RAM is sufficient. For production environments with more users and active collaboration, 4+ vCPUs and 16GB RAM is recommended.

Conclusion

Sync-in fills a specific niche: organizations that need the collaboration features of Google Drive or Dropbox but want to self-host on their own infrastructure. Its AGPL-3.0 license, Docker-based deployment, and governance-focused permission model make it a credible alternative for teams that handle sensitive documents and need to demonstrate data residency compliance.

If you are currently paying for a cloud file-sync SaaS and need to reduce costs while keeping data on your own servers, Sync-in is worth evaluating. Start with the Docker deployment on a test machine and invite one or two teammates to validate the collaboration workflow before committing to a full migration.