How to install FileShelter on Arch Linux

FileShelter is an open-source self-hosted file upload service that allows you to share large files with ease. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to install FileShelter on Arch Linux.

Prerequisites

Before installing FileShelter, make sure you have the following prerequisites installed on your Arch Linux system:

• Git
• Docker and Docker Compose
• SQLite and SQLite Browser (optional)

You can install Git, Docker, and Docker Compose by running the following command:

sudo pacman -S git docker docker-compose sqlite sqlitebrowser

Step 1: Clone the FileShelter repository

The first step to installing FileShelter is to clone the repository from GitHub. Open a terminal and enter the following command:

git clone https://github.com/epoupon/fileshelter.git

This will create a new directory named fileshelter in your current working directory.

Navigate to the newly created directory:

cd fileshelter

Step 2: Set up the environment variables

FileShelter uses environment variables to configure its settings. You will need to create an environment file to set these variables. Copy the sample environment file:

cp env.sample .env

Edit the .env file in your preferred text editor to provide your own values for the following variables:

• FILESHELTER_SECRET_KEY - A secret key used to sign and verify cookies. You can generate a new secret key by running the following command:

openssl rand -hex 32

• FILESHELTER_ALLOWED_HOSTS - A comma-separated list of hostnames that the server can serve. Set it to "*" for public access.

• FILESHELTER_DB_URI - The URI for the SQLite database. You can set it to the default sqlite:///fileshelter.sqlite.

Step 3: Build and run the Docker container

Once you've set up the environment variables, use Docker Compose to build and run the container:

docker-compose up -d --build

This will pull the necessary images and build the FileShelter container. The -d flag runs the container in detached mode, which means it will continue to run even after you close the terminal.

Step 4: Configure the NGINX reverse proxy (optional)

By default, FileShelter listens on port 8080 inside the container. If you want to access FileShelter using a domain name or reverse proxy, you need to set up an NGINX reverse proxy.

Create a new NGINX server block configuration:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/fileshelter.conf

Add the following configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name fileshelter.example.com;
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8080;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Replace fileshelter.example.com with your own domain name or IP address. Save and close the file.

Test the NGINX configuration:

sudo nginx -t

If there are no errors, reload NGINX:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

You should now be able to access FileShelter by visiting the domain name or IP address you've set up.

Step 5: Set up the admin user (optional)

By default, FileShelter doesn't have any user accounts. To create an admin user, run the following command:

docker-compose exec web python manage.py createsuperuser

Enter a username, email address, and password for the admin account.

You can now log in to FileShelter with the admin account by visiting the /admin URL.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have now installed FileShelter on Arch Linux. You can start uploading and sharing large files with ease. If you encounter any issues or errors during the installation process, consult the official documentation for troubleshooting tips.

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!