miniserve
CLI tool to serve files and dirs over HTTP.
miniserve vs Tiny File Manager
Two self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| miniserve | Tiny File Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | CLI tool to serve files and dirs over HTTP. | Web based File Manager in PHP, simple, fast and small file manager with a single file. |
| GitHub stars | 8,088 | 6,003 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 108 | 21 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-03 | 2026-07-20 |
| Latest release | v0.35.0 (2026-04-08) | 2.6 (2024-11-05) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Maintained |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Rust | PHP |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | File Transfer - Web-based File Managers | File Transfer - Web-based File Managers |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- miniserve is more popular on GitHub: 8.1k stars vs 6k for Tiny File Manager.
- miniserve had more commits in the last 12 months (108 vs 21).
- miniserve has more recent repository activity (2026-11-03 vs 2026-07-20).
- miniserve published a release more recently (v0.35.0 on 2026-04-08; Tiny File Manager's latest is 2.6 on 2024-11-05).
- miniserve is licensed under MIT, Tiny File Manager under GPL-3.0. miniserve's license is permissive; Tiny File Manager's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- miniserve is written in Rust; Tiny File Manager in PHP.
- Our rough hardware estimate is lighter for miniserve (~512 MB server) than Tiny File Manager (~1 GB); this is an estimate from the stack and category, not a benchmark.
Summary: miniserve leads on GitHub popularity, commit activity and recent activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is miniserve or Tiny File Manager more popular?
miniserve has more GitHub stars (8,088 vs 6,003 for Tiny File Manager, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, miniserve or Tiny File Manager?
miniserve had more commits over the last 12 months (108 vs 21). The last recorded activity was 2026-11-03 for miniserve and 2026-07-20 for Tiny File Manager. Our health labels: miniserve is “Active”, Tiny File Manager is “Maintained”.
What licenses do miniserve and Tiny File Manager use?
miniserve: MIT. Tiny File Manager: GPL-3.0. miniserve's license is permissive; Tiny File Manager's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run miniserve and Tiny File Manager with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Tiny File Manager
Web based File Manager in PHP, simple, fast and small file manager with a single file.
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