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Home/Categories/Databases & Storage/Spacedrive
icon of Spacedrive

Spacedrive

Open source alternative to ExpanDrive and Air Explorer

It unifies files from all your devices and clouds into a single, easy-to-use explorer, designed for creators and the disorganized.

image of Spacedrive
Contents
  1. 01Who Spacedrive is for

Repository

Stars
38K
Forks
1.3K
License
Apache-2.0
Latest
0.4.3
Last commit
43 days ago
Last verified
May 13, 2026
Repo
spacedriveapp/spacedrive ↗
38K starsRustApache-2.0Active recently
Visit websiteGitHub repo
  • 02The problem it solves
  • 03How it solves it
  • 04Strengths and trade-offs
  • 05Spacedrive vs alternatives
  • 06Tech stack
  • 07FAQ
  • 08Similar open-source tools
    • TL;DR

    Spacedrive is a cross-device file manager that indexes local disks, cloud volumes, external sources, and device libraries into one searchable surface. It replaces fragmented Finder, Explorer, Dropbox, and Google Drive workflows for people who manage files across many machines.Apache-2.0 · Rust · 38K stars · Active recently

    who it's for

    Who Spacedrive is for#

    Creators with many storage locations

    Use Spacedrive to search and browse projects spread across laptops, external drives, cloud buckets, and archives.

    Skip if:

    Skip if all files already live cleanly in one managed cloud drive.

    Self-hosters organizing home storage

    Use content hashing and device indexing to understand redundant files across NAS, desktops, and portable drives.

    Skip if:

    Skip if you need enterprise records management, retention policy, or legal hold workflows.

    the problem

    The problem it solves#

    how Spacedrive solves it

    How it solves it#

    Virtual distributed file system

    Spacedrive builds a cross-device index so files from local drives, offline devices, and cloud volumes appear in one interface.

    Content identity with BLAKE3

    The README describes BLAKE3 content hashes for file identity, which helps track duplicates and file redundancy across devices.

    P2P metadata sync

    Devices sync metadata through direct Iroh and QUIC connections, reducing dependence on a central file server for cross-device awareness.

    strengths · trade-offs

    Strengths and trade-offs#

    Strengths

    • Broader than a cloud driveSpacedrive indexes local storage, cloud volumes, archives, and external data sources instead of treating one vendor folder as the center of your files.
    • Local-first operating modelThe README emphasizes local operation and user-controlled sync, which fits privacy-conscious file management better than default cloud-first tools.

    Trade-offs

    • -Not a low-level file manager replacementThe README says Spacedrive sits above Finder and Explorer. You still use your OS for low-level file operations while Spacedrive adds search, indexing, and cross-device awareness.
    versus alternatives

    Spacedrive vs alternatives#

    tech stack · detected from GitHub

    What it's built on#

    Languages
    PythonRustSwiftTypeScript
    Frameworks
    React
    frequently asked

    FAQ#

    Does Spacedrive replace Finder or Explorer?

    No. The README says Spacedrive sits above the OS file manager and adds cross-device, cloud-aware, and automation-friendly capabilities.

    What license does Spacedrive use?

    Spacedrive references the Functional Source License 1.1 with Apache-2.0 future licensing. Teams should review the FSL terms before using it in commercial products or managed services.

    Can Spacedrive index cloud storage?
    also worth a look

    Similar open-source tools#

    Twake Drive

    Twake Drive

    Twake file management for Cozy-backed Drive workflows

    922JavaScriptAGPL-3.0
    DBeaver

    DBeaver

    Free open-source database management tool for SQL databases.

    50.3KJavaApache-2.0
    Redash

    Redash

    Connect to any data source, query, visualize, and share

    28.6KPythonBSD-2-Clause
    ClickHouse

    ClickHouse

    Fast open source column-oriented database for analytics

    47.4KC++Apache-2.0
    QGIS

    QGIS

    Free open source GIS for mapping and spatial data analysis

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    Apache Superset

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    Additional details

    Language
    Rust
    Open issues
    32
    Contributors
    119
    First release
    2021

    Categories

    Databases & StorageBusiness & ProductivityData & Analytics

    Tags

    File Sync & StorageSelf HostedKnowledge ManagementDeveloper ToolsPrivacy Tools

    Files scatter across laptops, external drives, NAS boxes, cloud buckets, and SaaS exports. The operating system file manager only sees the current machine, while cloud drives force you into separate vendor folders and sync rules.

    Spacedrive vs Dropbox

    Spacedrive is better when you need one searchable index across local disks, offline devices, cloud buckets, and archives. Dropbox is still better when the primary job is simple hosted file sync and sharing with non-technical collaborators.

    Yes. The README lists S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Azure, and GCS as cloud volumes.