You can now run tapeshelf on your own server

The code is on GitHub now, and one command sets tapeshelf up on your own server or computer:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tapeshelf/tapeshelf/main/install.sh | bash

It asks a couple of questions and does the rest. It installs Docker if you don’t have it, creates passwords and encryption keys, downloads the app, gets an HTTPS certificate if you’re using a domain, and shows you your admin login. You don’t write code or edit files.

Not ready to rent a server? Pick “just this computer” and it runs at a local address in a few minutes. Nobody else can reach it, and you can delete it just as quickly.

What you get

Your own shelf, with temporary links, trades, friends, messages and encrypted streaming. There are no plans and no payments, so what’s Pro on tapeshelf.com is there for everyone, including the video editor, the hidden page and passwords on links. Nothing limits video or shelf size unless you set a limit yourself. Videos stay on your disk by default, or go to S3-compatible storage if you prefer.

On a domain, sign-ups start closed, so strangers can’t fill your disk. You open them in the admin panel when you’re ready. Email is optional too. Without it sign-ups work straight away, but there’s no password reset, no email notifications and no links that open with a code sent by email.

An instance is its own island. People on it share and trade with each other, not with tapeshelf.com or other instances.

Keeping it running

Everything is in one folder, with one script for everyday jobs. ./tapeshelf.sh update saves the database and installs the newest version, and ./tapeshelf.sh backup saves everything, videos included.

Keep a copy of the .env file somewhere safe. It holds the key that encrypts your videos, and without it nobody can play them again.

The code

Everything’s under the AGPL-3.0: the app in tapeshelf/tapeshelf, and the browser extension in tapeshelf/tapeshelf-downloader. Found a bug? Open an issue. More about what’s involved is on the self-hosting page.

tapeshelf.com isn’t going anywhere. If you’d rather not run a server, your shelf is waiting there.