Gokapi

beginner

Lightweight file sharing server.

Overview

Gokapi is a lightweight, self-hosted file sharing server designed as an open-source alternative to Firefox Send after Mozilla discontinued the service. Built in Go, it weighs in at just 15MB and focuses on temporary file sharing with automatic expiration based on time limits or download counts. The application emphasizes security through optional end-to-end encryption and provides both web interface and API access for programmatic uploads. This Docker deployment creates a minimal yet complete file sharing platform that handles temporary uploads, automatic cleanup, and secure distribution without requiring complex infrastructure. Gokapi excels at scenarios where you need to share sensitive files temporarily, distribute large files with controlled access, or provide a simple upload portal for teams or clients. The containerized approach ensures consistent deployment while maintaining the application's lightweight footprint. This stack is ideal for small businesses, development teams, educational institutions, or personal use cases where commercial file sharing services are either too expensive, lack privacy controls, or don't provide the needed expiration mechanisms. System administrators who need a Firefox Send replacement will appreciate Gokapi's simplicity, security features, and the ability to self-host without vendor lock-in or monthly subscription costs.

Key Features

Automatic file expiration based on configurable time limits or download count thresholds
Optional end-to-end encryption for sensitive file transfers with client-side decryption
RESTful API for programmatic file uploads and management integration
Lightweight 15MB binary footprint with minimal system resource requirements
Web-based administration interface for managing uploads, users, and expiration policies
Hotlink protection and download tracking to prevent unauthorized file access
Configurable file size limits and storage quotas per upload session
Password protection option for individual file shares with custom expiration

Common Use Cases

1Temporary distribution of sensitive documents with automatic deletion after access
2Client file collection portal for agencies, consultants, or service providers
3Secure software release distribution with download count limits
4Educational institutions sharing course materials with time-limited access
5Development teams sharing build artifacts or logs with automatic cleanup
6Personal cloud alternative for temporary file sharing between devices
7Business continuity solution replacing discontinued Firefox Send workflows

Prerequisites

Docker and Docker Compose installed on the host system
Minimum 512MB RAM available for container operation
Port 53842 available and not conflicting with existing services
At least 1GB free disk space for file storage and container images
Basic understanding of environment variables for password configuration
Administrative access to configure reverse proxy if external access needed

For development & testing. Review security settings, change default credentials, and test thoroughly before production use. See Terms

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  gokapi: 
3    image: f0rc3/gokapi:latest
4    container_name: gokapi
5    restart: unless-stopped
6    environment: 
7      GOKAPI_USERNAME: admin
8      GOKAPI_PASSWORD: ${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
9    volumes: 
10      - gokapi_data:/app/data
11    ports: 
12      - "53842:53842"
13
14volumes: 
15  gokapi_data:

.env Template

.env

1ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme

Usage Notes

1Docs: https://github.com/Forceu/Gokapi#readme
2Access at http://localhost:53842 - admin login with ADMIN_PASSWORD
3Files auto-expire after time or download count
4E2E encryption option available
5API for programmatic uploads
6Lightweight Firefox Send alternative (15MB binary)

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  gokapi:
5    image: f0rc3/gokapi:latest
6    container_name: gokapi
7    restart: unless-stopped
8    environment:
9      GOKAPI_USERNAME: admin
10      GOKAPI_PASSWORD: ${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
11    volumes:
12      - gokapi_data:/app/data
13    ports:
14      - "53842:53842"
15
16volumes:
17  gokapi_data:
18EOF
19
20# 2. Create the .env file
21cat > .env << 'EOF'
22ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme
23EOF
24
25# 3. Start the services
26docker compose up -d
27
28# 4. View logs
29docker compose logs -f

One-Liner

Run this command to download and set up the recipe in one step:

terminal

1curl -fsSL https://docker.recipes/api/recipes/gokapi/run | bash

Troubleshooting

Upload fails with 'file too large' error: Increase GOKAPI_MAX_FILESIZE environment variable or check available disk space in gokapi_data volume
Cannot access admin interface after deployment: Verify ADMIN_PASSWORD environment variable is set and container logs show successful startup on port 53842
Files not expiring automatically: Check system time synchronization and verify expiration settings in admin panel configuration
API uploads return 401 unauthorized: Generate new API key in admin interface and ensure proper authentication headers in upload requests
Container restart loop with permission errors: Ensure gokapi_data volume has correct ownership and Docker daemon has write access to volume mount point

Community Notes

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