Drivebase

Product Introduction

1. Definition: Drivebase is an open-source, cloud-agnostic file management API and interface (technical category: cloud storage orchestration platform). It aggregates files from disparate providers like Google Drive, S3, Dropbox, and OneDrive into a unified folder hierarchy.
2. Core Value Proposition: Drivebase eliminates vendor lock-in by enabling centralized control over multi-cloud storage. Its self-hostable architecture prioritizes data sovereignty, letting users dictate file placement (e.g., store videos on S3, documents on OneDrive) while providing a single access point.

Main Features

1. Multi-Cloud Unification:
   Drivebase integrates disparate storage providers (S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Local Storage) via a GraphQL API. Files are virtualized into a global namespace, with metadata synchronization handled through Drivebase’s indexing engine. Users assign storage destinations per file/folder via policy rules.
2. High-Performance Engine:
   Built on Bun runtime for I/O optimization, Drivebase handles concurrent large-file uploads via chunked transfers and streaming. Benchmarks show 2-3x faster throughput versus Node.js-based alternatives. Docker/Kubernetes deployment ensures horizontal scalability.
3. API-First Architecture:
   All operations—file CRUD, permissions, provider connections—are exposed via a unified GraphQL endpoint. Developers automate workflows using generated queries/mutations, with built-in auth hooks for OAuth2 and API keys.
4. Team Collaboration Suite:
   Granular RBAC (role-based access control) enables shared folders with configurable permissions (view/edit/admin). Audit logs track file access, while real-time notifications sync changes across users.

Problems Solved

1. Pain Point: Fragmented file management across siloed cloud providers, leading to operational inefficiency and data sprawl. Drivebase consolidates storage with a single SDK/UI.
2. Target Audience:
   • DevOps engineers managing hybrid-cloud storage.
   • SaaS developers needing embedded file management without provider-specific code.
   • Privacy-focused teams requiring self-hosted alternatives to Box/Dropbox.
3. Use Cases:
   • Migrating files between Google Drive and S3 without manual downloads.
   • Creating compliance workflows (e.g., auto-route sensitive files to on-prem storage).
   • Building custom dashboards atop unified storage via GraphQL.

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation: Unlike proprietary tools (Egnyte, Filr), Drivebase is open-source (Apache 2.0) and cloud-agnostic. Competitors like Rclone lack its UI/API layer; cloud-native solutions (AWS Transfer) enforce vendor lock-in.
2. Key Innovation: The "Smart Upload" engine (beta) auto-routes files by type/size using declarative policies (e.g., "Store >100MB videos on S3"). Background transfers shuffle data between providers without user intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does Drivebase support real-time file syncing?
   Drivebase syncs metadata instantly, but file content sync depends on provider APIs. Auto-sync for bidirectional file updates is in development (v1.13+).
2. How does Drivebase ensure security for self-hosted instances?
   All data remains on user-configured storage; Drivebase acts as a metadata layer. Encryption (AES-256) applies to data in transit and at rest via provider-level keys.
3. Can Drivebase replace enterprise storage like SharePoint?
   Yes, for unified access and cross-provider management. However, SharePoint-specific features (e.g., co-authoring) require native integration via Drivebase’s API.
4. Is there a free tier for cloud-hosted Drivebase?
   Drivebase is 100% self-hosted; no SaaS version exists. This ensures full data control, with no usage-based fees.
5. What happens if a cloud provider disconnects?
   Files remain accessible in read-only mode. Drivebase’s abstraction layer prevents single points of failure, and data migration between providers uses background transfer queues.