Nextcloud as a Self-Hosted Cross-Platform Cloud
Kyle Rankin
Introduction
- Long-time self-hoster
- Reluctantly used Big Tech groupware
- Started de-Googling life
- Needed shared calendar solution
- Tried Nextcloud Calendar
- Expanded as family added Apple devices
- Now key to easy cross-platform life
- Essentially, self-hosted iCloud.
This Talk
- What is Nextcloud?
- Self-hosting options
- My Setup
- Integrating with Linux
- Nextcloud Native App
- Integrating with Apple
- Cross-platform life.
What is Nextcloud?
- Open Source groupware software
- Similar feature set to Google groupware and iCloud
- Web-based UI w/ native integration
- Many add-on and 3rd party modules
- Example modules:
- Files
- Calendar
- Contacts
- Office
- News
- Mail
Self-hosting options
- Details on Nextcloud's site
- 3rd Party Nextcloud providers
- Self-hosted cloud
- Self-hosted hardware
- Great admin UI, easy to upgrade/maintain.
My Setup
- Hosted on home server
- ThinkPad E540, 8GB RAM
- $38 on eBay
- Mariadb database
- Gig fiber internet
- Proper DNS, HTTPS certs
- Mostly used internally.
Integrating with Linux
- Easy with Gnome
- First add account to Gnome Online Accounts
- If it errors not finding WebDAV, use full URL:
- https://hostname/remote.php/dav/
- Will set up automatic Calendar/Contacts sync
- Will add remote dav access to Files to file manager.
Integrating with Linux
Other Applications
- Use app's CardDAV/CalDAV support
- For instance on KDE Kontact
- Some apps ownCloud/Nextcloud aware.
Nextcloud Native App
- Available for Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android
- Sets up automatic bidirectional file sync
- Available in distro repos, app stores
- Or check Nextcloud Install page
- Will keep local copy of files on each device
- By default will prompt if folder > 500mb
- Key for cross-platform cloud.
Integrating with Apple
MacOS
- Official guide may not work as written
- Requires HTTPS
- Settings->Internet Accounts->Add Account...
- Add CalDAV and CardDav accounts
- If sign-in fails, move to Advanced settings
- Set Account URL:
- https://hostname/remote.php/dav/principals/users/username/
- Will integrate with native Contacts/Calendar/Reminders apps
- Install Nextcloud App from site or homebrew.
Integrating with Apple
iOS Calendar
- Set up Calendar:
- Settings->Apps->Calendar->Accounts->Add Account
- Add CalDAV
- Add server, username, password
- If sign-in fails, move to Advanced settings
- Set Account URL:
- https://hostname/remote.php/dav/principals/users/username/
Integrating with Apple
iOS Contacts
- Set up Contacts:
- Settings->Apps->Contacts->Accounts->Add Account
- Add CardDAV
- Add server, username, password
- If sign-in fails, move to Advanced settings
- Set Account URL:
- https://hostname/remote.php/dav/principals/users/username/
Integrating with Apple
iOS App
- Install app from official app store
- Account wizard authorizes access from web
- Can access all files remotely from Files
- Set which folders you want local sync
- Recommend initial sync from unmetered WiFi
- Settings->Auto upload to auto-sync photos.
Cross-platform Life
- Having your own cloud is great
- Many advantages of iCloud, without the lock-in
- Especially powerful when using multiple OSes
- Many use cases across my family.
Cross-platform Life
Wife
- A professional writer
- We mutually share our calendars
- Added son's school calendar, easy to coordinate schedules
- Uses Files to share large files (documents and images) with publications
- Calendar and Contacts synced between desktop and iPhone.
Cross-platform Life
Mother-in-law
- An accomplished artist
- Has used Linux for past 20 years
- Was printing out reference photos to attach to easel
- Wanted to avoid hassel (and ink cost) of printing
- Got iPad to mount to easel
- Installed Nextcloud on Linux desktop, iPad
- Photos sync between devices, easy to open and zoom on iPad.
Cross-platform Life
Me
- Linux user for 25 years
- Post-Purism reset
- Decided to try out Apple ecosystem
- Big challenge w/ Apple ecosystem is lock-in
- Native apps favor Apple hardware, services
- Hard to get files on/off devices outside of ecosystem tools
- Using iCloud convenient, syncs files/settings, but only for Apple devices
- Nextcloud to the rescue.
Cross-platform Life
Move to Mac
- First, Nextcloud made moving to Mac easier
- Have documents, photos, other important files shared
- Even synced copy of Firefox profile (avoiding their cloud)
- Nextcloud App puts Nextcloud in Finder
- Changed Finder bookmarks so Nextcloud Pictures and Docs replaced local versions
- Contacts/Calendar show up in native apps
- Use News as news reader across devices.
Cross-platform Life
Move to iPhone
- Contacts/Calendar sync is seamless
- Installed native app, synced subset of files
- All photos taken on phone auto-sync to Nextcloud
- News works well on mobile browser.
Cross-platform Life
Move from Mac
- I missed Linux on the Desktop
- Had been keeping up w/ Bluefin on an old Thinkpad
- Nextcloud made it easy to switch between both laptops
- Chose a Framework 13 my daily driver
- Tested Nextcloud w/ a fresh install
- Used file sync to copy over Mac Firefox profile
- Calendar/Contacts/Files all just worked
- Updated home dir to symlink Docs, Pictures, to Nextcloud folder
- Considering expanding home directory sync.
Conclusion
- Groupware/file sync clouds are useful
- Some reinforce lock-in
- Nextcloud provides all major features, can be self-hosted
- Works across platforms, makes switching between them easier
- Great alternative to iCloud in particular
- Worth trying out for family groupware.
Thank You
Additional Resources