Source Configuration

What are Sources? link

Sources are the directories that FileBrowser Quantum makes available to users. Each source represents a filesystem path that can be browsed, searched, and managed through the web interface.

Source Basics link

Unique Paths Required link

Each source must have a unique real filesystem path. FileBrowser uses the actual resolved path on the filesystem to identify sources internally, not the name you assign.

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sources:
  - path: "/data"        # ✅ Valid
  - path: "/mnt/storage" # ✅ Valid - different path
  - path: "/data"        # ❌ Invalid - duplicate path

Source Names link

Automatic naming: If you don’t specify a name, FileBrowser automatically assigns one based on the base folder name.

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sources:
  - path: "/mnt/documents"  # Name: "documents"
  - path: "/data/photos"    # Name: "photos"

Custom naming: You can specify a custom display name:

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sources:
  - path: "/mnt/documents"
    name: "Company Files"   # Custom name

Minimal Configuration link

The simplest source configuration (same structure as server.sources in the generated reference config.generated.yaml):

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server:
  sources:
    - path: "/data"
      config:
        defaultEnabled: true

This creates a source that:

• Is available to all new users
• Has indexing enabled for advanced features
• Uses all default settings

Reference: config and rules link

The generated config lists every supported key. Under config, non-deprecated fields are:

Example rules entry (field names match the generator):

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server:
  sources:
    - path: "/data"
      name: "My Files"
      config:
        defaultEnabled: true
        rules:
          - neverWatchPath: ""
            includeRootItem: ""
            fileStartsWith: ""
            folderStartsWith: ""
            fileEndsWith: ""
            folderEndsWith: ""
            folderPath: ""
            filePath: ""
            fileName: ""
            folderName: ""
            viewable: false
            ignoreHidden: false
            ignoreZeroSizeFolders: false
            ignoreSymlinks: false

Indexing Overview link

Sources are indexed by default, which enables:

• Search functionality - Fast full-text and filename search
• Folder size calculations - Accurate directory size reporting
• Folder previews - Thumbnail previews for image directories
• Health monitoring - Source statistics and health information

Performance: Indexing uses adaptive scanning intervals based on filesystem complexity. For typical filesystems (under 50,000 items), expect scan times under 30 seconds with minimal memory usage (100-300MB). Larger filesystems may require more resources but benefit from smart interval adjustments that reduce scan frequency.

For detailed indexing information, see Understanding Indexing.

Configuration Options link

path (required) link

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path: "/data"

The filesystem path to the directory you want to serve. Can be absolute or relative, but must exist and be readable by FileBrowser.

name link

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name: "My Files"

Display name shown in the UI. If not specified, uses the base folder name from the path. Useful for providing user-friendly names like “Company Files” instead of just “documents”.

defaultEnabled link

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config:
  defaultEnabled: true

Whether new users automatically get access to this source. Defaults to false. Set to true for shared sources that all users should see.

denyByDefault link

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config:
  denyByDefault: true

Deny access unless an explicit “allow” access rule exists. Defaults to false. Use this for high-security sources where access must be explicitly granted per user or group.

See Access Control Guide for more information.

private link

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config:
  private: true

Designate source as private, which disables sharing. Defaults to false. Use this to prevent users from creating public shares for sensitive data.

useLogicalSize link

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config:
  useLogicalSize: true

When true, sizes follow logical file size instead of on-disk allocation (similar intent to du). Empty folders report as 0 bytes. Default is false.

defaultUserScope link

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config:
  defaultUserScope: "/subfolder"

Default scope path for new users created automatically via API or CLI. Defaults to "/" (root of source). This restricts where new users can access within the source. Include the leading slash.

Example placing users under a subfolder of the source:

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sources:
  - path: "/shared"
    config:
      defaultUserScope: "/users"
      defaultEnabled: true

New users are scoped under /shared/users (and receive a per-user directory there when applicable).

createUserDir (deprecated) link

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config:
  defaultUserScope: "/home"

Creates /home/john for user john under the source path and scopes the user there.

disabled link

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config:
  disabled: true

Disable the source without removing it from config. Defaults to false. Useful for temporarily disabling a source for maintenance or testing. Users cannot access disabled sources.

disableIndexing (deprecated) link

When indexing is effectively off for a source, these features do not work:

• Search
• Folder size calculations
• Folder preview images
• Source statistics / health

Users may still browse files with reduced functionality.

indexingIntervalMinutes (deprecated) link

conditionals (deprecated) link

Common Configuration Patterns link

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sources:
  - path: "/data"
    config:
      defaultEnabled: true

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sources:
  - path: "/home"
    config:
      defaultEnabled: true
      defaultUserScope: "/"

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sources:
  - path: "/dept/sales"
    name: "Sales"
  - path: "/dept/engineering"
    name: "Engineering"

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sources:
  - path: "/public"
    config:
      defaultEnabled: true
  - path: "/private"
    config:
      denyByDefault: true
      private: true

Best Practices link

1. Start Simple - Begin with minimal configuration and add options as needed
2. Use Real Paths - Always use absolute paths for production deployments
3. Plan Access Control - Design your access strategy before creating multiple sources
4. Monitor Resources - Watch memory/CPU usage after adding sources with large filesystems

Next Steps link

• Conditional Rules Guide
• Access Control
• Understanding Indexing
• Full Config Reference