Arkfile

Private File Vault over S3

What Is Arkfile?

Arkfile is an open-source service that lets you store and share files while keeping them private.

Before any file leaves your computer it is encrypted, so the Arkfile server never sees your data.

Because of this privacy-first design, only you – and anyone with whom you choose to share – can access and open your files.

Why People Use It

1. Privacy-first – files are encrypted on your device.
2. Share safely – you can create sharing links with share passwords for friends or co-workers without giving them your main password.
3. Multi-factor security – Time-based One-Time Passwords (TOTP authentication) or Hardware Security Keys (Yubikey, Nitrokey) are used to provide two-factor protection for all accounts.
4. Pick your storage – use the built-in SeaweedFS server for single-node or self-hosted cluster deployments, or point Arkfile at Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, Vultr Object Storage, and other S3-compatible storage back-ends.
5. Runs anywhere – one binary, no external database. (Arkfile uses the lightweight rqlite engine under the hood.)
6. Offline backup & recovery – export encrypted .arkbackup bundles and decrypt them offline with arkfile-client, no server needed.
7. Open source – anyone can inspect or improve the code.

Who Uses Arkfile

Arkfile is for people who want cloud backup and secure sharing without giving the server readable files or their login password. Six common situations:

Personal vault. Keep personal copies of work or life documents (reviews, taxes, medical records) encrypted off your laptop, separate from employer Google Drive or iCloud.

Professional archive. Lawyers, journalists, and caseworkers store client or source material under client-side encryption, then share a single file via link and share password without handing over vault access.

Cross-border life records. Migrants, expats, and travelers keep IDs and vital documents in a pseudonymous account (no email required) and retrieve them on a new device after loss or confiscation.

Insider preservation. Whistleblowers and investigators keep encrypted copies outside employer systems and disclose selectively using share links, optionally with a separate password on the most sensitive files.

Self-hosted custody. NGOs, newsrooms, and teams run their own instance over their choice of S3-compatible storage backends so users trust their operator, region, and storage policy -- not a distant SaaS vendor.

Password-only handoff. Recipients download and decrypt with a share URL and share password only; no account signup, no recipient email on file.

Local Dev Test Quick Start

sudo ./scripts/dev-reset.sh

The script will:

• Install all dependencies
• Set up arkfile system user
• Start a local SeaweedFS bucket
• Start a single-node rqlite database
• Start arkfile app
• Create arkfile-dev-admin user

Key Concepts (Glossary)

• Privacy-First: The server never learns your files or passwords because everything is encrypted before upload.
• Encryption (AES-256-GCM): A modern algorithm that scrambles data and checks its integrity at the same time.
• OPAQUE: A password authentication protocol where the server never sees your password in any form, with built-in validation to ensure strong password security.
• TOTP: Time-based One-Time Password - generates temporary codes on your phone for extra security.
• rqlite: A small database that keeps data in sync across nodes without extra setup.
• SeaweedFS: An open-source S3-compatible storage server that works as a single node or in a cluster.
• S3-type Storage Backends: Any number of redundant data backup solutions that use erasure coding to ensure extremely high availability of your data.

Need More Details?

• User FAQ - see docs/user-faq.md
• Deployment & Ops Guide – see docs/setup.md
• API Reference – see docs/api.md
• Security Architecture – see docs/security.md
• Privacy - see docs/privacy.md

---

Support

Questions, comments or bug reports? Email arkfile [at] pm [dot] me / arkfile [at] tutanota [dot] com or open an issue on GitHub.

Please avoid posting sensitive information in public issues.

---

Donate

If you wish to contribute to development efforts, please consider making a donation:

• Bitcoin (On-chain): < contact via email for a one-time donation address >
• Bitcoin (Lightning): arkfile@coinos.io
• Monero (XMR): 8AhcDfG55P5N1pacyB9QoNTYrVGEUsgYnSrvXyHoxc2iWi6M7s4cdWHHXNu6rSjf5jYQ5hGAoR5eo75pRqPAK6hjL4jNMX6

---

make yourself an ark of cypress wood