Hey all! I’m still in the somewhat early stages of setting up my home server. I have Nextcloud installed for file storage/management. However, realizing that it would be nice to have access to the entire storage drive for the server, I installed File Browser.

Now I’m having a hard time justifying having both. I have a handful of services that could be run as individual services (calDav, notes, news, etc… although, phonetrack seems to be hard to replace).

I’ve noticed lists that people have posted of the “must-have” services on their home servers have included both. My question is “why?” It seems like, at a basic level, they serve similar roles. If you remove the app-platform role from Nextcloud by separately hosting the individual apps, what benefit do you get from having both Nextcloud and File Browser?

I really like NextCloud, but i’m having a hard time justifying the resource usage if its functionality can be replaced by a handful of containers. Or, is that the reason to have it, so you don’t have to do that?

Any opinions on the subject would be appreciated.

  • rambos@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    Nextcloud can sync between devices,so you can even use files while offline. There is recycle bin and many more features and apps available. I mostly use filebrowser just to manage files on the server. Both apps are amazing

    • TCB13@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      11 months ago

      Nextcloud can sync between devices,so you can even use files while offline

      Until it fails. If you want reliable sync just pair FileBrowser with Syncthing and have something that actually works fine.

      • Aux@lemmy.worldEnglish
        01·
        11 months ago

        Syncthing is not a good solution at all. It requires a persistent connection. That means you will have crazy battery drain and you will have issues when your mobile devices roam between networks. Syncthing is not a replacement for Google Drive/Nextcloud, it solves a different problem.

        • TCB13@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          11 months ago

          Personally, for mobile, I access my files with SFTP pointed to the same folders I sync my desktops with Syncthing.

          Also, what stops you from having syncthing without a persistent connection? You can set it to just sync whenever the phone is plugged in and/or you manually open the thing.

          • Aux@lemmy.worldEnglish
            01·
            11 months ago

            SFTP is not the same as Drive functionality, that’s the thing. Again, Syncthing solves a different problem, it’s not applicable here.