Seafile File Sync & Share

intermediate

Enterprise file sync and share platform with versioning, encryption, and team collaboration.

Overview

Seafile is an enterprise-grade open-source file synchronization and sharing platform developed by a team that previously worked on version control systems, bringing Git-like versioning concepts to file management. Originally created in 2012, Seafile distinguishes itself from competitors like Nextcloud or ownCloud through its unique block-level deduplication, client-side encryption capabilities, and distributed architecture that can scale to handle millions of files efficiently. The platform offers desktop clients for Windows, Mac, and Linux, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and a comprehensive web interface for browser-based access. This stack combines Seafile with MariaDB for metadata storage, Memcached for session and object caching, and relies on Seafile's built-in web server for HTTP handling. MariaDB stores all file metadata, user information, and sharing permissions while the actual file data is stored in Seafile's proprietary storage format with block-level deduplication. Memcached accelerates the system by caching frequently accessed database queries, user sessions, and file metadata, significantly improving response times for large deployments with hundreds of concurrent users. This configuration targets organizations requiring enterprise-level file collaboration with strong security controls, detailed audit trails, and the ability to maintain complete data sovereignty. Unlike cloud-based solutions, this self-hosted stack gives administrators full control over encryption keys, data location, and compliance requirements while providing features like remote device wipe, detailed access logs, and integration with LDAP/Active Directory for user management.

Key Features

Block-level file deduplication reduces storage requirements by up to 90% for organizations with similar documents
Client-side encryption with user-controlled keys ensures files remain encrypted even from system administrators
Git-like file versioning with complete revision history and ability to restore any previous version
MariaDB Aria storage engine provides crash-safe metadata storage with automatic recovery
Memcached integration eliminates database bottlenecks during high concurrent access scenarios
Two-way sync clients for desktop maintain offline access with conflict resolution
Library-based organization allows granular sharing permissions at folder level rather than entire accounts
WebDAV and RESTful API support enables integration with third-party applications and mobile workflows

Common Use Cases

1Law firms requiring client-privileged document sharing with audit trails and remote wipe capabilities
2Engineering teams collaborating on CAD files and technical drawings with version control and large file handling
3Healthcare organizations needing HIPAA-compliant file sharing with patient data encryption and access logging
4Educational institutions providing secure file storage for faculty and students with departmental isolation
5Remote development teams synchronizing code repositories and documentation across multiple time zones
6Financial services firms sharing sensitive documents with clients while maintaining regulatory compliance
7Manufacturing companies distributing technical specifications and quality documents to global facilities

Prerequisites

Minimum 2GB RAM for MariaDB metadata storage and Seafile processing (4GB+ recommended for 50+ users)
Port 80 and 443 available for Seafile web interface and client synchronization
Valid SSL certificate or domain name for secure client connections and mobile app access
Understanding of Seafile library concepts and permission models for proper organization setup
Basic knowledge of MariaDB backup procedures for protecting user data and sharing configurations
SMTP server configuration for user invitation emails and password reset functionality

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

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  seafile: 
3    image: seafileltd/seafile-mc:latest
4    environment: 
5      DB_HOST: mariadb
6      DB_ROOT_PASSWD: ${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
7      SEAFILE_ADMIN_EMAIL: ${ADMIN_EMAIL}
8      SEAFILE_ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
9      SEAFILE_SERVER_LETSENCRYPT: "false"
10      SEAFILE_SERVER_HOSTNAME: ${SERVER_HOSTNAME}
11    ports: 
12      - "80:80"
13      - "443:443"
14    volumes: 
15      - seafile_data:/shared
16    depends_on: 
17      - mariadb
18      - memcached
19    networks: 
20      - seafile-net
21    restart: unless-stopped
22
23  mariadb: 
24    image: mariadb:10.11
25    environment: 
26      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
27    volumes: 
28      - mariadb_data:/var/lib/mysql
29    networks: 
30      - seafile-net
31    restart: unless-stopped
32
33  memcached: 
34    image: memcached:alpine
35    networks: 
36      - seafile-net
37    restart: unless-stopped
38
39volumes: 
40  seafile_data: 
41  mariadb_data: 
42
43networks: 
44  seafile-net: 
45    driver: bridge

.env Template

.env

1# MariaDB
2MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=secure_root_password
3
4# Seafile Admin
5ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com
6ADMIN_PASSWORD=secure_admin_password
7
8# Server
9SERVER_HOSTNAME=seafile.example.com

Usage Notes

1Web UI at http://localhost
2Desktop and mobile clients available
3File versioning and encryption
4Team and group management

Individual Services(3 services)

Copy individual services to mix and match with your existing compose files.

seafile

seafile:
  image: seafileltd/seafile-mc:latest
  environment:
    DB_HOST: mariadb
    DB_ROOT_PASSWD: ${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
    SEAFILE_ADMIN_EMAIL: ${ADMIN_EMAIL}
    SEAFILE_ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
    SEAFILE_SERVER_LETSENCRYPT: "false"
    SEAFILE_SERVER_HOSTNAME: ${SERVER_HOSTNAME}
  ports:
    - "80:80"
    - "443:443"
  volumes:
    - seafile_data:/shared
  depends_on:
    - mariadb
    - memcached
  networks:
    - seafile-net
  restart: unless-stopped

mariadb

mariadb:
  image: mariadb:10.11
  environment:
    MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
  volumes:
    - mariadb_data:/var/lib/mysql
  networks:
    - seafile-net
  restart: unless-stopped

memcached

memcached:
  image: memcached:alpine
  networks:
    - seafile-net
  restart: unless-stopped

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  seafile:
5    image: seafileltd/seafile-mc:latest
6    environment:
7      DB_HOST: mariadb
8      DB_ROOT_PASSWD: ${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
9      SEAFILE_ADMIN_EMAIL: ${ADMIN_EMAIL}
10      SEAFILE_ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
11      SEAFILE_SERVER_LETSENCRYPT: "false"
12      SEAFILE_SERVER_HOSTNAME: ${SERVER_HOSTNAME}
13    ports:
14      - "80:80"
15      - "443:443"
16    volumes:
17      - seafile_data:/shared
18    depends_on:
19      - mariadb
20      - memcached
21    networks:
22      - seafile-net
23    restart: unless-stopped
24
25  mariadb:
26    image: mariadb:10.11
27    environment:
28      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
29    volumes:
30      - mariadb_data:/var/lib/mysql
31    networks:
32      - seafile-net
33    restart: unless-stopped
34
35  memcached:
36    image: memcached:alpine
37    networks:
38      - seafile-net
39    restart: unless-stopped
40
41volumes:
42  seafile_data:
43  mariadb_data:
44
45networks:
46  seafile-net:
47    driver: bridge
48EOF
49
50# 2. Create the .env file
51cat > .env << 'EOF'
52# MariaDB
53MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=secure_root_password
54
55# Seafile Admin
56ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com
57ADMIN_PASSWORD=secure_admin_password
58
59# Server
60SERVER_HOSTNAME=seafile.example.com
61EOF
62
63# 3. Start the services
64docker compose up -d
65
66# 4. View logs
67docker 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/seafile-cloud-storage/run | bash

Troubleshooting

Seafile service fails to start with database connection error: Verify MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD environment variable matches between mariadb and seafile services
Desktop clients cannot sync with 'SSL certificate verify failed': Ensure SEAFILE_SERVER_HOSTNAME matches your actual domain name and SSL certificate
File uploads fail with 'Request Entity Too Large': Modify Seafile's seahub_settings.py to increase FILE_UPLOAD_MAX_MEMORY_SIZE beyond default 200MB
Slow performance during peak usage: Monitor memcached hit rates and increase memcached memory allocation or add additional memcached instances
Users cannot access shared libraries: Check Seafile database ccnet-db for proper group memberships and sharing permissions in the EmailUser and Group tables
MariaDB crashes during large file operations: Increase innodb_buffer_pool_size to at least 1GB and set innodb_log_file_size to 256MB for better transaction handling

Community Notes

Loading notes...

Download Recipe Kit

Get all files in a ready-to-deploy package

Includes docker-compose.yml, .env template, README, and license

Components

seafilememcachedmariadbnginx

Related Recipes

Ad Space

Shortcuts: C CopyF FavoriteD Download