opencloud Documentation

1. Project Overview & Quickstart (opencloud-eu/opencloud) Copy Chapter

Server Backend

[!TIP]
For general information about OpenCloud and how to install please visit OpenCloud on Github and OpenCloud GmbH.

This is the main repository of the OpenCloud server.
It contains the golang codebase for the backend services.

Getting Involved Copy Chapter

The OpenCloud server is released under Apache 2.0.
The project is thrilled to receive contributions in all forms.
Start hacking now, there are many ways to get involved such as:

• Reporting issues or bugs
• Requesting features
• Writing documentation
• Writing code or extend our tests
• Reviewing code
• Helping others in the community

Every contribution is meaningful and appreciated!
Please refer to our Contribution Guidelines if you want to get started.

Build OpenCloud Copy Chapter

To build the backend, follow these instructions:

Generate the assets needed by e.g., the web UI and the builtin IDP

make generate

Then compile the opencloud binary

make -C opencloud build

That will produce the binary opencloud/bin/opencloud. It can be started as a local test instance right away with a two step command:

opencloud/bin/opencloud init && opencloud/bin/opencloud server

This creates a server configuration (by default in $HOME/.opencloud) and starts the server.

For more setup- and installation options consult the Development Documentation.

Technology Copy Chapter

Important information for contributors about the technology in use.

Authentication Copy Section

The OpenCloud backend authenticates users via OpenID Connect using either an external IdP like Keycloak or the embedded LibreGraph Connect identity provider.

Database Copy Section

The OpenCloud backend does not use a database. It stores all data in the filesystem. By default, the root directory of the backend is $HOME/.opencloud/.

Security Copy Chapter

If you find a security-related issue, please contact [email protected] immediately.

2. Official Technical Reference & Guides (opencloud-eu/docs) Copy Chapter

🌐 Website

This website is built using Docusaurus, a modern static website generator.

Installation Copy Chapter

pnpm install

Local Development Copy Chapter

Clone this repository and start the local dev server:

pnpm start

This command will launch a local development server and open the site in your browser. Changes are hot-reloaded automatically.

⚠️ docs tree contains redirects, because some documentation files may have been removed or moved, and old bookmarks should still work. To have those working in the local dev server, the documentation needs to be built first:

pnpm build
pnpm run serve

Start docs in German Copy Section

To launch the documentation in German, run:

pnpm run start --locale de

⚠️ Switching languages via the language switcher is currently not supported.

Build Copy Chapter

pnpm build

This command generates static content in the build folder. You can serve it using any static file hosting service.

Deployment Copy Chapter

Using SSH: Copy Section

USE_SSH=true pnpm deploy

Without SSH: Copy Section

GIT_USER=<Your GitHub username> pnpm deploy

If you're using GitHub Pages, this will push the production build to the gh-pages branch.

Screenshot Guidelines Copy Chapter

Highlight key elements in the screenshot with red borders or boxes if needed.

Example Copy Section

To include a screenshot in your documentation, use the following format:

• Use require(...) for image paths so they are bundled correctly by Docusaurus
• Always include a meaningful alt text to improve accessibility and SEO

Markdown Guidelines Copy Chapter

To maintain a consistent structure across all docs, follow these formatting conventions:

Frontmatter Example Copy Section

All .md files must begin with a valid frontmatter block:

---
id: getting-started
title: Getting Started
sidebar_position: 1
---

• id must be unique and match the filename (without .md)
• sidebar_position defines the ordering in the sidebar
• description is required to ensure consistent SEO metadata and link previews. Always include a meaningful and concise description.

Heading Hierarchy Copy Section

Use the correct heading levels:

# Page Title

## Section Heading

### Subsection Heading

#### Optional Sub-subsection

Do not skip heading levels (e.g., don’t go from ## directly to ####).

Info Blocks Copy Section

Use Docusaurus-style info blocks to highlight important content:

:::tip
Helpful tip content goes here.
:::

:::info
General information goes here.
:::

:::warning
Warnings go here.
:::

:::danger
Critical notices go here.
:::

Lists and Steps Copy Section

Use regular markdown for ordered lists. Do not nest deeply.

1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step

Format Before Pushing Copy Chapter

Before committing changes, ensure proper formatting using:

pnpm format:write
pnpm lint:md:fix

These commands will:

• Format all project files
• Lint and auto-fix markdown formatting
• Ensure consistent style across documentation

Thanks for helping us keep the docs clean, professional, and easy to read!