mtlynch/picoshare

PicoShare is a minimalist, self-hosted web application for sharing files on the web without restrictions on size, file type, or media format.

PicoShare addresses the limitations of mainstream file-sharing services by offering unrestricted file uploads and direct download links. Rather than forcing users through signup flows, ads, or file-type restrictions, it generates shareable links that work immediately upon upload. The tool preserves files in their original form—images, video, and audio are never resized or re-encoded—and stores data in a SQLite database that can be replicated to cloud storage using Litestream for durability and recovery.

The tool suits anyone running a personal or small-team server who wants a lightweight alternative to commercial services. It works well for sharing large files, unusual formats, or media that would be degraded by transcoding on other platforms. The README positions it against services like Imgur, Vimeo, and SoundCloud, which impose file-type or format restrictions that PicoShare avoids.

Development activity shows consistent, focused iteration on core functionality. The project maintains a clean codebase with regular commits addressing specific features and fixes rather than broad refactoring. Maintenance includes responsiveness to reported issues and steady improvements to deployment options, particularly around Docker and cloud replication support. The maintainer demonstrates attention to operational concerns like reverse-proxy logging and multi-instance limitations with Litestream.