I Built My Own Self-Hosted File Sharing Server Instead of Alts; Here’s Why

The Breaking Point At some point, I realized I was overcomplicating something simple. I just wanted to: Upload a file Share a link Preview media Move on Instead, I kept juggling heavy cloud platforms, storage limits, privacy tradeoffs, and unnecessary friction. So I asked myself: Why not just make what I want and host it myself? That’s how Swush started. The Problem With “Simple” File Sharing Modern cloud storage tools are powerful but often overkill. Common issues I ran into: File size limits Account requirements Privacy concerns Slow sharing workflows Feature bloat for basic needs Multiple tools for different similar features Sometimes you don’t need a full ecosystem. You just need fast, clean file sharing that you control. What Is Swush? Swush is a self-hosted file sharing and media server built to be: ⚡ Fast 🧩 Minimal 🔐 Privacy-friendly 🐳 Docker-ready 💻 Everyone-focused It allows you to: Upload files instantly Generate shareable links Serve media Run entirely on your own infrastruc