Nextcloudis a suite ofclient-server softwarefor creating and usingfile hosting services.Nextcloud provides functionality similar toDropbox,Office 365orGoogle Drivewhen used with integrated office suitesCollabora OnlineorOnlyOffice.It can be hosted in the cloud or on-premises. It is scalable, from home office software based on the low costRaspberry Pi,all the way through to full sizeddata centersthat support millions of users.[6][7][8]Translations in 60 languages exist for web interface and client applications.[9]

Nextcloud
Developer(s)Nextcloud GmbH.,[1]Community
Stable release
Server30.0.2[2]Edit this on Wikidata/ 7 November 2024
Android3.30.5[3]Edit this on Wikidata/ 18 November 2024
iOS6.1.6[4]Edit this on Wikidata/ 12 November 2024
Desktop3.14.3[5]Edit this on Wikidata/ 4 November 2024
Repository
Written inPHP,JavaScript
Operating systemServer:Linux
Clients:Windows,macOS,Linux,FreeBSD,Android,iOS
Available in60 languages
TypeOnline storage,data synchronization,Collaboration,video conferencing,Groupware
LicenceAGPL-3.0-only
Websitenextcloud

Features

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Nextcloud files are stored in conventional directory structures, accessible viaWebDAVif necessary. ASQLite,MySQL/MariaDBorPostgreSQLdatabaseis required to provide additional functionality like permissions, shares, and comments.[10]

Nextcloud can synchronize with localclientsrunningWindows(Windows 8.1 and above),[11]macOS(10.14 or later),LinuxandFreeBSD.Nextcloud permits user and group administration locally or via differentBackendslikeOpenID[12][13]orLDAP.[14]Content can be shared inside the system by defining granular read/write permissions between users and groups. Nextcloud users can create publicURLswhen sharing files.[15][citation needed]

Loggingof file-related actions, as well as disallowing access based on file access rules is also available.[16]

Security options likemulti-factor authenticationusingTOTP,WebAuthn,Oauth2,[17]OpenID Connect,[12][18]Brute-forceprotection[19]exist.

Nextcloud has planned new features such asmonitoringcapabilities,full-text searchandKerberosauthentication, as well as audio/video conferencing,expandedfederationand smalleruser interfaceimprovements.[20]

Integrations and devices

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Multiple vendors and independent projects develop integrations and devices with Nextcloud focusing on different aspects like improved security or simplified administration.

NextcloudPi

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Initially started to run Nextcloud on aRaspberryPi,NextcloudPi turned into a ready to use image for Virtual Machines, Raspberry Pi, Odroid HC1, Rock64 and other boards.[21]

Nextcloud Box (discontinued)

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Nextcloud Box package

In September 2016, Nextcloud, in cooperation withWestern Digital LabsandCanonical(the company behindUbuntu), released the Nextcloud Box.[22]The Nextcloud box was based on aRaspberry Pi,running Ubuntu Core withSnappy;it was intended to serve as a reference device for other vendors.[23]In June 2017, Western Digital shut down Western Digital Labs,[24]which caused the production of the box to end.[25]

History

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In April 2016Frank Karlitschekand most core contributors[26]leftownCloudInc.[27]These included some of ownCloud's staff according to sources near to theownCloudcommunity.[28]Karlitschek and many of these contributors went on to fork the ownCloud, creating NextCloud.[28]

The fork was preceded by a blog post of Karlitschek announcing his departure and raising questions about the management of the ownCloud, its community, and priorities between growth, money, and sustainability.[27]There have been no official statements about the reason for the fork. However, Karlitschek mentioned the fork several times in a talk at the 2018FOSDEMconference and in two appearances on theFLOSS Weeklypodcast,[29][30]emphasizing cultural mismatch between open source developers and business oriented people not used to the open source community.[31]

On June 2, within 12 hours of the announcement of the fork, the American entity "ownCloud Inc." announced that it is shutting down with immediate effect, stating that "[...] main lenders in the US have cancelled our credit. Following American law, we are forced to close the doors of ownCloud, Inc. with immediate effect and terminate the contracts of 8 employees." ownCloud Inc. accused Karlitschek of poaching developers, while Nextcloud developers such as Arthur Schiwon stated that he "decided to quit because not everything in the ownCloud Inc. company world evolved as I imagined".[32]ownCloud GmbH continued operations, secured financing from new investors and took over the business of ownCloud Inc.[33]

In April 2018Informationstechnikzentrum Bund(ITZBund) reported Nextcloud wins the tender for "Bundescloud"(Germany government cloud) project.[34][35]

In August 2019 it was announced that the governments ofFrance,Swedenand theNetherlandswill use Nextcloud for file transfer.[36]

In January 2020 Nextcloud 18 "Nextcloud Hub"was released. The major change was direct integration of anOffice suite(OnlyOffice) and Nextcloud claimed the goal to compete withOffice 365andGoogle Docs.[37]Partnership withIonoswas revealed - its hosting location in Germany and compliance withGDPRshould support the goal of data sovereignty.[38]

In spring 2020 remote work andweb conferencingusage raised due toCOVID-19 pandemicand Nextcloud released version 19 with chat and videoconferencingTalk appintegrated into the application core. Talk with an optional "high performance back-end"[39]allowsself-hostingof web conferences with more than 10 participants.Collabora Onlinewas introduced as another integrated office suite.

In August 2021 Nextcloud was chosen as collaboration platform for European cloud softwareGAIA-X.[40][41][42][43]

In September 2021 Nextcloud was mentioned as "success case" and "most widely deployed Open Source content collaboration platform" in an "Open Source Study"[44]of theEuropean Commission.

25 April to 10 May 2022 "Open Source Programme Office" at the European Commission organizesNextGov Hackathonand awards up to 5000 EUR for improvements to Nextcloud apps and security.[45][46][47]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Official Company Website".
  2. ^"Release 30.0.2".7 November 2024.Retrieved23 November2024.
  3. ^"Release 3.30.5".18 November 2024.Retrieved23 November2024.
  4. ^"Release 6.1.6".12 November 2024.Retrieved23 November2024.
  5. ^"Release 3.14.3".4 November 2024.Retrieved23 November2024.
  6. ^"System requirements — Nextcloud latest Administration Manual latest documentation".docs.nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-03.
  7. ^Nestor, Marius (2021-03-25)."Canonical, Collabora, and Nextcloud Deliver Work From Home Solution to Raspberry Pi Users".9to5Linux.Retrieved2021-04-15....fully pre-configured and automatically updated in time so you won't have to do any manual maintenance on it
  8. ^Nextcloud Global Scale explained,retrieved2022-12-03
  9. ^"The Nextcloud translation project on Transifex".explore.transifex.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  10. ^"Database configuration — Nextcloud latest Administration Manual latest documentation".docs.nextcloud.Retrieved2024-04-23.
  11. ^"Desktop Client System Requirements".
  12. ^abSchießle, Björn."Nextcloud and OpenID-Connect".schiessle.org.Retrieved2022-12-03.
  13. ^"Social Login - Apps - App Store - Nextcloud".apps.nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-03.
  14. ^"User authentication with LDAP — Nextcloud latest Administration Manual latest documentation".docs.nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-03.
  15. ^"File Sharing — Nextcloud latest User Manual latest documentation".docs.nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  16. ^"File Access Control – A firewall for your private files in Nextcloud".25 August 2016.Retrieved22 September2016.
  17. ^"OAuth2 — Nextcloud latest Administration Manual latest documentation".docs.nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-03.
  18. ^user_oidc,Nextcloud, 2022-11-30,retrieved2022-12-03
  19. ^"Brute force protection — Nextcloud latest Administration Manual latest documentation".docs.nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-03.
  20. ^Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols (14 December 2016)."Nextcloud adds security and scalability to its private cloud offering".ZDNet.Retrieved19 January2017.
  21. ^Jurzik, Heike."Own your cloud with NextcloudPi on the Raspberry Pi | Opensource".opensource.Retrieved2023-08-26.
  22. ^"Nextcloud Box – a private cloud and IoT solution for home users – from Nextcloud, Canonical and WDLabs Box".Nextcloud. 16 September 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2016.Retrieved22 September2016.
  23. ^Swapnil Bhartiya (16 September 2016)."Everything you need to know about Nextcloud Box".CIO.Archived fromthe originalon 21 September 2016.Retrieved22 September2016.
  24. ^Kevin Parrish (22 June 2017)."Source confirms Western Digital is closing WDLabs and canceling projects".Digital Trends.Retrieved5 October2018.
  25. ^"Nextcloud box updates: Raspberry Pi 3, Nextcloud 12 and looking for a new provider".Nextcloud. 4 August 2017.Retrieved5 October2018.
  26. ^Github (1 June 2016)."Contribution overview to Nextcloud Server".Retrieved2 April2019.
  27. ^abFrank Karlitschek (27 April 2016)."big changes: I am leaving ownCloud, Inc. today".blog.Retrieved22 September2016.
  28. ^abSteven J. Vaughan-Nichols (2 June 2016)."OwnCloud founder forks popular open-source cloud".ZDNET.Retrieved22 September2016.
  29. ^"TWiT - FLOSS Weekly 755 - Nextcloud".
  30. ^"TWiT - FLOSS Weekly Episode 513 - Nextcloud Update".
  31. ^Frank Karlitschek (4 February 2018)."Why I forked my own project and my own company".
  32. ^Swapnil Bhartiya (6 June 2016)."What we can learn from ownCloud's collapse".CIO.Archived fromthe originalon 23 September 2016.Retrieved22 September2016.
  33. ^"ownCloud Secures Financing and Expands its Management Team - ownCloud".14 July 2016.
  34. ^online, heise (17 April 2018)."Bundescloud: Open-Source mit Nextcloud statt Dropbox oder Google Drive".iX Magazin(in German).Retrieved2022-12-19.
  35. ^Beuth, Patrick (2018-04-17)."Open-Source-Software: Nextcloud baut die Bundescloud".Der Spiegel(in German).ISSN2195-1349.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  36. ^"Cloud-Dienste: EU-Staaten setzen auf deutsches Start-up Nextcloud".handelsblatt(in German).Retrieved2022-12-19.
  37. ^Poortvliet, Jos (2020-01-17)."The new standard in on-premises team collaboration: Nextcloud Hub".Nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  38. ^Poortvliet, Jos (2020-01-17)."IONOS and Nextcloud together for more data sovereignty".Nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  39. ^Poortvliet, Jos (2020-05-19)."Talk 9 brings grid view, file editing, open sources Talk back-end".Nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  40. ^"Gaia-X setzt auf Nextcloud".GNU/Linux.ch(in Swiss High German).Retrieved2022-12-19.
  41. ^Puselja, Marija (2021-08-26)."Nextcloud beat US hyperscalers as collaboration platform for EU digital sovereignty project Gaia-X".Nextcloud.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  42. ^S, Jan (2022-07-13)."Gaia-X: Europas Kampf um digitale Souveränität".OPTIMAL SYSTEMS(in German).Retrieved2022-12-19.
  43. ^"Gaia-X beweist Unabhängigkeit von großen US-Tech-Anbietern und entscheidet sich für EU-basierte Kollaborationsplattform".OSBA – Open Source Business Alliance(in German). 2021-08-26.Retrieved2022-12-19.
  44. ^"Study about the impact of open source software and hardware on technological independence, competitiveness and innovation in the EU economy | Shaping Europe's digital future".digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu.6 September 2021.Retrieved2023-01-20.
  45. ^"The Commission invites ethical hackers to the NextGov Hackathon with Nextcloud from 25 April to 10 May 2022!".commission.europa.eu.Retrieved2023-01-20.
  46. ^"Nextgov Hackathon".Nextgov.Retrieved2023-01-20.
  47. ^HILLENIUS, Gijs (2022-06-13)."Successful NextGov hackathon | Joinup".joinup.ec.europa.eu.Retrieved2023-01-20.
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