HFS is a web file server that lets you share folders or individual files from your computer through a browser using a virtual file system.
HFS solves the problem of quickly sharing files across devices without relying on cloud storage or complex setup. It works by running a lightweight server on your computer that exposes selected files and folders through a web interface. Users can access shared content from any browser on the same network or remotely, with the server handling downloads, uploads, and file organization through its virtual file system abstraction.
HFS suits anyone needing straightforward file sharing without bandwidth limits or cloud dependencies. It works well for sharing large folders, serving websites, or providing file access to multiple users with different permission levels. The tool runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and Android, making it broadly deployable. Key capabilities include instant ZIP downloads of entire folders, resumable uploads and downloads, bandwidth throttling, HTTPS support with automatic certificate generation, real-time connection monitoring, and a plugin system for extending functionality. An admin web interface handles configuration, account management, and access control, while the front-end is mobile-friendly with search and multi-language support.
Development activity shows consistent engagement with user-reported issues and feature requests through discussions. The project maintains active plugin development, with community-contributed extensions for anti-brute-force protection, thumbnails, LDAP integration, and themes. Documentation is comprehensive, covering Docker deployment, service installation, reverse-proxy setup, and customization through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The codebase is written in TypeScript and remains responsive to platform-specific concerns, including documented workarounds for antivirus false positives on Windows and support guidance for unlisted operating systems.
