FlexPort - Web-Based File Manager

FlexPort is a distributed web-based file manager that allows you to:

• Browse and manage files in your system
• Transfer files via FTP/SFTP
• Upload files from URLs
• Monitor file transfer sessions

Features

• Direct file operations: Upload, download, and delete files
• Server-to-server transfers: Transfer files from FTP and SFTP servers
• URL-based uploads: Download files from URLs to your server
• Transfer monitoring: Track all file transfer operations
• User authentication: Secure access using PAM authentication
• Modern UI: Responsive interface with list and tile views

Installation & Deployment

Option 1: Docker Deployment (Recommended)

Prerequisites:

• Docker and Docker Compose installed on your system

Steps:

1. Clone the repository to your server:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/flexport.git
   cd flexport

2. Create the Docker configuration files in the project root:

   • backend-dockerfile for the backend
   • frontend-dockerfile for the frontend
   • docker-compose.yml for orchestration

3. Start the application:

   docker compose up -d

4. Access the application at http://yourserver:3000

Option 2: Manual Deployment

Backend Setup

Prerequisites:

• Python 3.12+

Steps:

1. Install dependencies:

   cd backend
   uv venv .venv
   source .venv/bin/activate
   uv pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Run the server:

   uvicorn main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8009 --reload

Frontend Setup

Prerequisites:

• Node.js 18+
• npm

Steps:

1. Install dependencies:

   cd frontend
   npm install

2. For development:

   npm run dev

3. For production:

   npm run build

   Then serve the dist directory with a web server like nginx.

Option 3: Systemd Service

Use this method to run FlexPort as a system service:

1. Copy the project to /opt/flexport:

   sudo cp -r flexport/ /opt/

2. Install the systemd service file:

   sudo cp flexport.service /etc/systemd/system/

3. Enable and start the service:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   sudo systemctl enable flexport
   sudo systemctl start flexport

4. Check the service status:

   sudo systemctl status flexport

FTP/SFTP Module Testing

To test the FTP/SFTP functionality:

1. Set up a test FTP server:

   • For quick testing, you can use pyftpdlib:

     pip install pyftpdlib
     python -m pyftpdlib -p 21

2. Configure your test credentials:

   • Host: localhost (or your server IP)
   • Username: (as configured on your FTP server)
   • Password: (as configured on your FTP server)
   • Port: 21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP

3. Test file transfers:

   • Create a test directory with sample files
   • Try to browse and download these files using FlexPort
   • Monitor the session progress in the Sessions panel

Security Recommendations

1. JWT Secret Key:

   • Always change the default JWT secret key in production
   • Set it as an environment variable in .env file or Docker configuration

2. CORS Configuration:

   • Restrict CORS to only trusted domains in the production environment

3. Run as Non-root User:

   • When using the systemd service, consider running as a non-root user with appropriate permissions

4. Secure the API Endpoints:

   • Add rate limiting to prevent brute force attacks
   • Consider adding IP-based restrictions for sensitive endpoints

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Authentication Fails:

   • Ensure the user exists on the system
   • Check PAM configuration
   • Verify permissions

2. File Operations Fail:

   • Check file and directory permissions
   • Ensure the service has access to the requested paths

3. FTP/SFTP Connection Issues:

   • Verify the host is reachable (try ping or telnet)
   • Check credentials and port settings
   • Ensure the server allows the requested operations

Logs

• When running with systemd, check logs with:

  journalctl -u flexport

• In Docker, check logs with:

  docker logs flexport-backend
  docker logs flexport-frontend

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Here are some current areas for improvement:

• Add comprehensive test suite
• Enhance security features
• Implement file search functionality
• Add file preview for common formats
• Improve drag and drop interface

License

FlexPort is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.