// selfhosted · owncloud/core

core

:cloud: ownCloud web server core (Files, DAV, etc.)

★ 8.8k stars⑂ 2.1k forksAGPL-3.0updated 2026-09
▦ visual — this project's README ships no embeddable screenshot,
so here's a placeholder. The guide below is complete regardless.
// project facts

Project facts

core is an open-source self-hosted project by owncloud (owncloud/core on GitHub). It has 8,834 GitHub stars and 2,058 forks, is released under the AGPL-3.0 license, and was last updated on GitHub on 27 September 2026.

Repository
owncloud/core
GitHub stars
8,834
Forks
2,058
License
AGPL-3.0
Last updated on GitHub
27 September 2026
Category
Self-Hosted
Listing
Full install guide
Official site
Official site
// how it works

How it works

  1. Pick a service to reclaim

    Files, mail, passwords, media — start with one.

  2. Deploy it

    Docker Compose one-liners are the standard install.

  3. Point a domain at it

    Reverse proxy + free TLS certificates take minutes.

  4. Back it up

    Automated backups to a second disk or offsite.

// features

Why people love it

Self-hosted by design

Runs on your own server — your data never has to leave your infrastructure.

Family friendly

Share with the household, not the cloud.

Backups built in

Snapshots and export keep you safe.

Community hardened

Years of production use by thousands of homelabs.

Offline resilient

Works on your LAN even when the internet dies.

Private by default

No accounts with data brokers required.

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// run it

Run it yourself

  1. Step 1 — Clone the repo

    Download the source and move into the project folder.

    git clone https://github.com/owncloud/core.git
    cd core
  2. Step 2 — Check the README

    Every project documents its own setup; start with install requirements.

    cat README.md | head -60
  3. Step 3 — Run it

    Follow the project's launch command — Docker, pip, npm, or a binary release.

    # see README for the exact launch command
// use cases

What you can build

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// faq

Questions, answered

Who maintains core?

It is an open-source project at owncloud/core with 2,058 forks. Check the repo's contributors and recent commits to see how active maintenance is.

Is core free for commercial use?

AGPL-3.0 — free to use, including over a network, with source-sharing obligations.

Can non-technical family use it?

Yes — the apps look and feel like the SaaS versions.

What about backups?

Non-negotiable: automate offsite backups from day one.

Is it secure?

Keep it updated, use strong passwords, and expose only what you need.

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// alternatives

Alternatives in Self-Hosted

The most-starred other Self-Hosted projects in the LibreAI catalogue — the realistic shortlist if core is not the right fit.

Get core

Free and open — grab the source, star the repo, and start creating.