FreeCloud

Stop paying twice for storage

FreeCloud turns the web hosting space you already pay for into a simple personal cloud drive.

It currently includes:

• a desktop sync app for Linux/macOS, with a Windows launcher path
• a working Android app
• a PHP web file manager and sync API you upload to your host
• a public website/download page

If you already pay for:

• web hosting
• cloud storage
• maybe email storage

then you may already be paying for the same kind of disk space more than once.

FreeCloud is the simple version of using that hosting space instead.

License

FreeCloud is free software licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3 or later.

Public Links

• Website: https://freecloud.wiki
• Source: https://github.com/KyleBenzle/FreeCloud

What FreeCloud Is

FreeCloud is a hosted file sync and browser drive built around your own web host.

You upload the server files to a folder like:

public_html/FreeCloud/

Then your desktop app, Android app, and browser all talk to that same hosted FreeCloud install.

Current Platforms

• Linux desktop: primary tested desktop path
• macOS desktop: same Python/Tk desktop app, but still needs real-world Mac testing
• Windows desktop: launcher and compatibility path exist, but it has not been fully tested
• Android: working app
• iPhone/iPad: not implemented

Setup

1. Upload the server files

Upload the contents of server/ to your web host so it looks like this:

public_html/FreeCloud/index.php
public_html/FreeCloud/freecloud_api.php
public_html/FreeCloud/freecloud.php
public_html/FreeCloud/freecloud_download.php
public_html/FreeCloud/freecloud_preview.php

It should not look like this:

public_html/FreeCloud/server/freecloud_api.php

Then visit:

https://yourdomain.com/FreeCloud

2. Run the desktop app

Linux / macOS:

./Run_Mac_Linux.sh

Windows:

Run_Windows.bat

In the desktop app, enter:

• Website Address: https://yourdomain.com/FreeCloud
• Local Folder: your normal local sync folder, such as ~/FreeCloud
• Password: an optional password for this hosted drive

On first connection:

• if the hosted drive is not initialized yet, the app creates it
• if it is already initialized, the app uses the existing password

3. Use the web view

Once uploaded, your hosted browser drive is available at:

https://yourdomain.com/FreeCloud

You can:

• upload files
• browse folders
• preview supported media
• edit supported text files
• download files or ZIP folders

4. Use the Android app

The Android app connects to the same hosted FreeCloud install.

Use:

• Website Address: https://yourdomain.com/FreeCloud
• Password: the same FreeCloud password
• Phone folder: the local Android folder you want to use

Project Structure

server/

The actual hosted FreeCloud web app and API:

• server/index.php
• server/freecloud.php
• server/freecloud_api.php
• server/freecloud_download.php
• server/freecloud_preview.php

Desktop app

The current desktop app is built from:

• freecloud_ui.py: desktop GUI
• freecloud_cli.py: sync engine / CLI
• Run_Mac_Linux.sh: Linux/macOS launcher
• Run_Windows.bat: Windows launcher

android-app/

Android app source project.

website/

Public landing/download site assets, including:

• website/index.html
• website/privacy.html
• website/FreeCloud.zip

This folder is for the public website, not the hosted FreeCloud backend.

How Sync Works

The current sync model is simple:

• local changes upload to the hosted FreeCloud server
• remote changes download back to the local folder
• remote deletions remove unchanged local files
• local deletions do not delete remote files unless the CLI is started with --delete-remote

This behavior is intentional, but it is not fully symmetrical.

Configuration Files

Desktop/local config currently uses simple JSON files:

• last-used config:
  • .freecloud_last_config.json
• per-local-folder config:
  • .freecloud_client.json
• sync state:
  • .freecloud_state.json

These are convenient, but they are not hardened secrets storage.

Current Architecture

FreeCloud currently has three main user-facing layers:

1. Desktop sync client
2. Android client
3. Hosted PHP web app and API

The hosted server stores synced files in:

freecloud_files/

The main server pieces are:

• freecloud_api.php for sync actions
• freecloud.php for browser file management
• freecloud_preview.php for inline previews
• freecloud_download.php for downloads and ZIP export

Security Notes

FreeCloud is practical, but not fully hardened.

Important current realities:

• storage protection currently depends heavily on host configuration
• the app stores local credentials in plaintext JSON
• the web UI does not currently have CSRF protection
• some risky file types are still allowed through the browser file manager
• large uploads are still relatively simple and not highly robust

So:

• this is not meant to be a hardened enterprise storage platform
• it is meant to be a small, useful personal hosted drive

Known Limitations

• macOS path still needs broader real-device testing
• Windows path is best-effort and not deeply tested
• no iPhone/iPad app
• no multi-sync manager yet
• no self-host mode right now
• no GitHub publishing integration right now

Development Notes

If you are working on the project locally:

• the desktop app is the main path for Linux/macOS
• the Android app lives in android-app/
• the public website lives in website/
• the hosted backend lives in server/
• the current architecture and sync flow are summarized in PROJECT_NOTES.md

Why This Exists

Because paying for hosting and then paying again for storage often makes no sense.

You already have the space.

Use it.