Dokany is a user-mode file system library for Windows that allows developers to create custom file systems without writing kernel-mode device drivers.
Creating a new file system on Windows traditionally requires developing a kernel-mode device driver, which is technically complex and error-prone. Dokany solves this by providing a user-mode library that intercepts file operation requests from the Windows I/O subsystem and forwards them to callback functions implemented by the file system application. The library consists of a user-mode DLL and a kernel-mode driver that work together to present custom file systems as normal Windows file systems. Dokany is modeled after FUSE on Linux and includes a FUSE wrapper that allows existing FUSE file systems to be ported to Windows with minimal or no code changes.
Dokany suits developers who need to implement custom file systems on Windows but lack the expertise or resources to develop kernel drivers. It is particularly valuable for porting file systems from Linux environments, since the FUSE wrapper eliminates the need to rewrite the core file system logic. The project supports a wide range of Windows versions and processor architectures, including x86, x64, ARM, and ARM64. Developers should be aware that the API has evolved across major versions, so migration between versions may require code updates. The tool provides signed drivers for both release and debug builds across all supported platforms.
The maintainers respond to new issues and pull requests within a day. Work in the issue tracker centers on bug fixes, enhancements, and driver-related concerns.
