How to Self-Host Jirafeau with Docker Compose

What Is Jirafeau?

Jirafeau is a lightweight, self-hosted file upload and sharing tool written in PHP. Upload a file through the web UI, get a shareable link with optional password protection, download count limit, and time-based expiry. No database required — Jirafeau stores everything on the filesystem.

Jirafeau has been around since 2008, making it one of the oldest self-hosted file sharing tools. It’s battle-tested, minimal, and runs on any PHP-capable server. No JavaScript frameworks, no Node.js, no external dependencies.

Prerequisites

• A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
• Docker and Docker Compose installed (guide)
• 256 MB of free RAM (minimum)
• Disk space for uploaded files
• A domain name (optional but recommended)

Docker Compose Configuration

Create a directory for Jirafeau:

mkdir -p ~/jirafeau && cd ~/jirafeau

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  jirafeau:
    image: mojo42/jirafeau:4.5.0
    container_name: jirafeau
    ports:
      - "127.0.0.1:8080:80"
    environment:
      # Admin password — CHANGE THIS
      ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
      # Public-facing URL of your Jirafeau instance
      WEB_ROOT: https://share.example.com/
      # Upload password (optional — set to restrict who can upload)
      UPLOAD_PASSWORD: ""
      # Maximum file size in bytes (default: no limit from Jirafeau, PHP limits apply)
      UPLOAD_MAXSIZE: "0"
    volumes:
      - jirafeau-data:/data
      - jirafeau-media:/jirafeau/media
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  jirafeau-data:
  jirafeau-media:

Create a .env file:

# CHANGE THIS — admin panel password
ADMIN_PASSWORD=change_me_to_a_strong_password

Start the stack:

docker compose up -d

Initial Setup

1. Open http://your-server-ip:8080 in your browser.
2. The upload interface appears immediately — no setup wizard.
3. Upload a file, optionally set a password and expiry time.
4. Copy the generated download link.
5. Access the admin panel at http://your-server-ip:8080/admin.php with your ADMIN_PASSWORD.

Configuration

Upload Options

When uploading through the web UI:

• Password: Optional password to protect the download
• One-time download: File deletes after a single download
• Expiry: None, minute, hour, day, week, month, quarter, year
• Preview: Enable/disable in-browser preview for supported file types

Upload Restriction

To restrict who can upload (while anyone with a link can still download), set an upload password:

environment:
  UPLOAD_PASSWORD: "secret-upload-key"

Uploaders must enter this password before the upload form appears. Leave empty for unrestricted uploads.

Admin Panel

Access your-domain/admin.php to:

• View all uploaded files with metadata
• Delete specific files
• Run cleanup to remove expired files
• View storage statistics

Reverse Proxy

Behind Caddy (Reverse Proxy Setup):

share.example.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:8080
}

Update WEB_ROOT to match your public URL. For large file uploads with Nginx, increase the body size limit:

client_max_body_size 500m;

Backup

Jirafeau stores all data (files + metadata) on the filesystem:

• jirafeau-data — Uploaded files and link metadata
• jirafeau-media — Additional media (if any)

docker run --rm -v jirafeau-data:/data -v $(pwd):/backup alpine \
  tar czf /backup/jirafeau-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /data

See Backup Strategy for a complete approach.

Troubleshooting

Upload fails with “file too large”

Symptom: PHP returns a file size error. Fix: Set UPLOAD_MAXSIZE: "0" (unlimited) in the environment and increase PHP limits. Create a custom PHP config or override upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in the container.

Expired files not deleted

Symptom: Files past their expiry date remain accessible. Fix: Jirafeau checks expiry on download, not on a schedule. Run manual cleanup from the admin panel, or set up a cron job to call the cleanup script.

Admin panel returns 403

Symptom: Can’t access admin.php. Fix: Verify ADMIN_PASSWORD is set. If the password is empty or unset, the admin panel is disabled.

Resource Requirements

• RAM: ~30-50 MB idle
• CPU: Low
• Disk: ~20 MB for the application, plus storage for uploaded files

Verdict

Jirafeau is the grandparent of self-hosted file sharing. It works, it’s stable, and it has zero external dependencies. If you want a minimal PHP-based upload tool that runs on anything, Jirafeau is a safe choice.

That said, it’s showing its age. The UI is functional but dated compared to PicoShare or Gokapi. It lacks features like API uploads, S3 storage, or end-to-end encryption. For new deployments, Gokapi or PicoShare offer a more modern experience with similar simplicity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Jirafeau require a database?

No. All data is stored on the filesystem. No MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQLite needed.

Can I restrict downloads to specific people?

Yes. Set a password on individual uploads. Only users with the password can download the file.

Is Jirafeau still actively maintained?

Yes, but development is slow. The project is stable and mature — it receives security updates and occasional feature additions, but don’t expect frequent releases.

Related

• How to Self-Host Gokapi
• Jirafeau vs PicoShare
• How to Self-Host PicoShare
• How to Self-Host Send
• PairDrop vs Send
• Best Self-Hosted File Sharing Tools
• Self-Hosted Alternatives to WeTransfer
• Self-Hosted File Transfer Alternatives
• Secure Self-Hosted File Sharing
• Docker Compose Basics