Open-Source DevOps · ShaneIsrael

fireshare

Fireshare is a self-hosted Docker application for sharing videos and media via unique links with optional transcoding, access controls, and integrations like Discord notifications and LDAP. It organizes content by game, supports both CPU and GPU-accelerated encoding, and offers public/private sharing modes.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/ShaneIsrael/fireshare

1.4k

GitHub stars

Forks

JavaScript

Primary language

GPL-3.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	ShaneIsrael/fireshare
Owner	ShaneIsrael
Primary language	JavaScript
License	GPL-3.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	1.4k
Forks	90
Open issues	11
Latest release	v1.7.3 (2026-06-29)
Last updated	2026-06-29
Source	https://github.com/ShaneIsrael/fireshare

What fireshare is

JavaScript/Python stack deployed as containerized service with FFmpeg-based transcoding (CPU or NVIDIA NVENC), SQLite/internal database, adaptive bitrate streaming via generated lower-quality variants, and optional LDAP auth. Original files served directly; transcoding generates auxiliary streams only.

Quickstart

Get the fireshare source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/ShaneIsrael/fireshare.git2cd fireshare3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Gaming Content Sharing

Organize and share game clips with automatic cover-art lookup, game-based folder structure, and rich link previews via OpenGraph for Discord/social media integration.

Private Media Distribution

Host sensitive or personal videos on-premises with password protection, link-only private feeds, and granular upload restrictions to control who can access or contribute content.

Adaptive Streaming for Bandwidth-Constrained Networks

Enable viewers on slow connections to stream lower-quality transcoded versions while keeping originals intact; auto-quality adjustment for viewers who buffer frequently.

Implementation considerations

Requires four Docker volume mounts (data, processed, videos, images) with correct PUID/PGID ownership to avoid permission errors on shared hosts.
GPU transcoding (NVIDIA NVENC) requires RTX 40-series for AV1 or GTX 1050+ for H.264; CPU fallback available if GPU encoding fails.
FFmpeg-based transcoding can be CPU-intensive; budget compute capacity or run lite image without CUDA if GPU unavailable.
Secret key (SECRET_KEY env var) must be set to random value; no guidance on rotation or key management practices documented.
Original video files served directly, so ensure upstream files are in supported container formats (MP4, MOV, WebM) to avoid playback issues.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Zero Maintenance Preference — Fireshare requires Docker, volume management, secret rotation, and monitoring. No managed SaaS option; you own operational burden.
Large-Scale Concurrent Viewers — No evidence in documentation of load-balancing, clustering, or scalability patterns. Suitable for small-to-medium self-hosted deployments, not enterprise streaming platforms.
Compliance-Heavy Environments — GPL-3.0 license requires source disclosure of modifications; commercial use requires legal review. LDAP support exists but no mention of SOC 2, HIPAA, or audit logging.
Out-of-the-Box Enterprise Features — No documented multi-tenancy, role-based access control beyond admin/user, API rate limiting, DLP, or data residency controls.

License & commercial use

Licensed under GPL-3.0 (GNU General Public License v3.0), a strong copyleft license. Any modifications or derivative works must be released under GPL-3.0; proprietary or closed-source forks are not permitted without legal review.

GPL-3.0 is not a permissive commercial license. Self-hosting for internal use (non-SaaS) is typically permitted, but licensing implications for hosted services, vendoring, or commercial derivatives require legal review. Using Fireshare in production requires understanding GPL obligations or explicit permission from the maintainer.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Moderate
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Project does not claim security certification. Considerations: (1) Uses basic username/password auth with optional LDAP; (2) passwords and SECRET_KEY stored in environment variables or config—no mention of secrets management (Vault, K8s Secrets); (3) password-protected videos supported but mechanism not detailed; (4) private/link-only feeds rely on URL obscurity; (5) no audit logging, rate limiting, or DLP controls documented; (6) runs as single user (PUID/PGID); (7) relies on reverse-proxy (nginx implied) for TLS; (8) file uploads optional but unconstrained file size validation not mentioned. Requires threat modeling for specific deployment context.

Alternatives to consider

Jellyfin

Open-source (MPL 2.0) media platform with broader library management, user profiles, and ecosystem plugins. Heavier stack but more mature for family/team libraries. Gaming-specific features less prominent.

Plex Media Server

Commercial freemium SaaS with managed hosting, transcoding, and mobile apps. Eliminates self-hosting overhead but proprietary and subject to feature gates. Fireshare listed as related topic, suggesting they serve overlapping use cases.

Nextcloud + Video plugins

General-purpose self-hosted file-sharing and collaboration platform with media plugins. Broader feature set (calendars, contacts, docs) but less video-optimized; requires more configuration.

Software development agency

Build on fireshare with DEV.co software developers

Review the live demo, check GPL-3.0 license compatibility with your use case, and prototype with Docker Compose. Consult legal counsel if commercial use or closed-source modifications are planned.

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fireshare FAQ

Can I use Fireshare for commercial video streaming?

Requires legal review. GPL-3.0 permits self-hosting for internal use but imposes copyleft obligations on modifications. Offering Fireshare as a managed service or embedding it in commercial products may violate the license.

What happens if I don't enable transcoding?

Original files are served directly to viewers without modification. No adaptive bitrate or quality selection; viewers must download/stream the source file. Transcoding is optional and off by default.

Does Fireshare support uploading from multiple users?

Uploads are optional (can be restricted). README shows public/private uploading UI but does not detail per-user quotas, file size limits, or granular permissions. Requires configuration review.

How do I expose Fireshare securely to the internet?

README does not cover reverse-proxy, TLS, or firewall setup. Standard practice: run behind nginx/Caddy reverse-proxy with SSL, restrict ports, use strong admin credentials and SECRET_KEY, and consider rate-limiting/WAF rules.

Software developers & web developers for hire

DEV.co helps companies turn open-source tools like fireshare into production software. Our software development services cover the full lifecycle — architecture, web development, integration, and maintenance — delivered by software developers and web developers who ship. Engage our software development agency to implement or customize it for your open-source devops stack.

Evaluate Fireshare for Your Self-Hosted Media Needs

Review the live demo, check GPL-3.0 license compatibility with your use case, and prototype with Docker Compose. Consult legal counsel if commercial use or closed-source modifications are planned.

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