ownCloud is an open-source self-hosted file sync, share, and collaboration platform designed for organizations, teams, and individuals seeking secure data sovereignty and compliance.

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🚀 Overview

ownCloud provides a flexible, secure cloud solution for file storage, syncing, sharing, and real-time collaboration, serving as a self-hosted alternative to public cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive.

It solves critical problems such as data sovereignty concerns, regulatory compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.), insecure file sharing via email or VPNs, and shadow IT risks by offering full control over data with enterprise-grade security features.

Built for enterprises with high governance needs, remote teams requiring seamless collaboration, IT administrators deploying private clouds, and smaller users opting for hosted SaaS.

Founded in 2010 by Frank Karlitschek as an open-source project to democratize personal cloud storage, it has evolved into a company-backed platform (now part of Kiteworks) trusted by over 200 million users worldwide for its focus on privacy and extensibility.

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✨ Key Features

• Spaces: Revolutionary project folders enabling team collaboration, compliance controls, security, and optimized workflows.
• Web Office Integration: Real-time editing with OnlyOffice, Collabora Online, Microsoft 365, and more for secure co-editing across devices.
• Secure Sharing: Flexible internal/external links with passwords, expirations, and access controls, eliminating VPNs and email attachments.
• Compliance & Security: MFA, end-to-end encryption, file lifecycle management, GDPR/HIPAA-ready, three-tier architecture.
• Upcoming: Rolling releases every 3 weeks with new features in Infinite Scale (oCIS).

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🛠 Tech Stack

• Frontend: Modern web UI (JavaScript, extensible via oCIS for custom apps)
• Backend: PHP (classic server core), Go (Infinite Scale oCIS microservices)
• Database: MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis
• Auth: Built-in MFA, LDAP, SAML, OIDC
• Hosting: Self-hosted (Docker, Kubernetes), SaaS (ownCloud.online hosted in Germany)

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👥 Who Is This For?

This project is useful for:

• Organizations who want to maintain data sovereignty and meet strict compliance standards
• Teams looking for real-time collaboration tools without relying on public clouds
• IT admins and sysadmins building scalable private cloud infrastructure

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📸 Screenshots / Demo

• Live demo: https://owncloud.online (SaaS signup for trial)
• GitHub: https://github.com/owncloud

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🔥 Project Status

• 🟢 Actively building

Last updated: 2026-03-24

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❓ FAQ

Is this project free?

Open Source (community edition free under AGPLv3 for self-hosting). Enterprise subscriptions for advanced features/support/SaaS (from ~13€/user/month); Infinite Scale free for personal use, licensed for commercial.

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Is the source code available?

Yes — https://github.com/owncloud (main org, core: https://github.com/owncloud/core)

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Can I contribute?

Yes — report issues, submit PRs on GitHub, join forums, or provide feedback via contact forms.

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📬 Contact & Links

• Website: https://owncloud.org
• GitHub: https://github.com/owncloud
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/ownCloud
• Email: Contact form https://owncloud.org/contact-us

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