---
title: "Deploy Pingvin Share X"
description: "Share files by link with expiry, passwords and reverse uploads"
category: "Storage"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/pingvin-share-x-railway
---

# Deploy Pingvin Share X

Share files by link with expiry, passwords and reverse uploads

**[Deploy Pingvin Share X on Railway](https://railway.com/template/pingvin-share-x-railway)**

- **Creator:** A3A
- **Category:** Storage
- **Total deploys:** 2

## Template content

### clamav https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/homarr-labs/dashboard-icons/svg/clam-av.svg

- **Image:** clamav/clamav:stable

### pingvin-share-x https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/homarr-labs/dashboard-icons/svg/pingvin-share.svg

- **Source:** https://github.com/gridalpha/pingvin-share-x-railway
- **Public domain:** Yes

## Buckets

- **pingvin-files**

## Documentation

# Deploy and Host Pingvin Share X on Railway

Pingvin Share X is an open source file sharing platform for anyone who wants WeTransfer's workflow without its size limits, retention rules or data residency questions. Drop files into the browser, get a link back, and set how long it lives, how many people may open it and whether a password is needed. Reverse shares invert it: send a link and they upload to you. It is the maintained fork of Pingvin Share, archived in May 2026.

Deploy Pingvin Share X on Railway and the awkward parts of self-hosting it are wired up already. The template runs the official `smp46/pingvin-share-x` image behind its bundled Caddy front end, points storage at a Railway object storage bucket so shares are not capped by disk size, keeps the database on a persistent volume, and adds a private ClamAV service that scans uploads. An administrator account is created on first boot and registration starts off, so nobody can claim your instance while you read this page.

![Pingvin Share X Railway architecture](https://res.cloudinary.com/rroe4rtk/image/upload/v1786979505/29f8eeb9-e6fe-4e54-8b99-2a39d2debb92.png)

## Getting Started with Pingvin Share X on Railway

Set `ADMIN_EMAIL` and `ADMIN_PASSWORD` when you deploy — they become your administrator account, created before the app accepts its first request. Open the Railway URL, click **Sign in**, and use `admin` (or your `ADMIN_USERNAME`) with that password. You land on the upload screen: drag files in, press **Share**, and the dialog offers an expiry, a share ID and, under **Security options**, a password and visitor limit. Open the link in a private window to see what a recipient sees: file list, inline previews and a **Download all** button that zips the share. **My shares** tracks visitors and expiry, **Reverse shares** makes upload links for clients, and **Administration** holds SMTP, OIDC, LDAP, storage and registration.

![Pingvin Share X share page listing two downloadable files](https://res.cloudinary.com/rroe4rtk/image/upload/v1786963074/pingvin-share-x-share-recipient.png)
![Pingvin Share X account page listing an active share](https://res.cloudinary.com/rroe4rtk/image/upload/v1786963078/pingvin-share-x-my-shares.png)
![Pingvin Share X reverse share link awaiting an upload](https://res.cloudinary.com/rroe4rtk/image/upload/v1786963081/pingvin-share-x-reverse-shares.png)
![Pingvin Share X admin configuration for share settings](https://res.cloudinary.com/rroe4rtk/image/upload/v1786963086/pingvin-share-x-admin-configuration.png)
![Pingvin Share X previewing a shared image in the browser](https://res.cloudinary.com/rroe4rtk/image/upload/v1786963089/pingvin-share-x-file-preview.png)

## About Hosting Pingvin Share X

Self-hosting matters here because the files are the sensitive part: contracts, raw footage, medical scans, build artefacts. A hosted transfer service decides retention and jurisdiction for you; a self-hosted one does not. The app is a Next.js front end and a NestJS API in one container, fronted by Caddy so both answer on one origin. Metadata lives in SQLite on the volume; file bytes go to the bucket.

- Share links with expiry dates, visitor limits and optional passwords
- Reverse shares: recipients upload to you without an account
- Email recipients, so a share is delivered rather than pasted
- OIDC and LDAP sign-in beside local accounts, plus TOTP two-factor
- ClamAV scanning, with infected files removed from the share
- Local disk or S3-compatible storage, switchable in the admin panel
- Per-user quotas, and 32 interface languages

ClamAV talks to the app over Railway's private network and is never exposed publicly. While it restarts or fetches signatures uploads still succeed — scanning is best-effort, not blocking.

## Why Deploy Pingvin Share X on Railway

One deploy replaces a VPS, a reverse proxy and a storage plan.

- Object storage wired up — shares are not capped by disk size
- Persistent volume for the database and branding, no manual mounts
- ClamAV runs privately, reachable only by the app
- HTTPS and custom domains handled for you
- Admin account and secure cookies set before first boot

## Common Use Cases

- Sending large design, video or CAD files to clients without buying everyone a seat
- Collecting documents from customers through a reverse share link with a size limit
- Distributing signed releases or datasets on a link that expires in a week
- Replacing email attachments where files must stay on your own storage

## Dependencies for Pingvin Share X

- **Pingvin Share X** — `smp46/pingvin-share-x:latest` (also `ghcr.io/smp46/pingvin-share-x`), from [github.com/smp46/pingvin-share-x](https://github.com/smp46/pingvin-share-x). UI and API on port 3000, database on the volume.
- **ClamAV** — `clamav/clamav:stable`. Private antivirus daemon on port 3310, with a volume for the signatures freshclam refreshes on a schedule.
- **Object storage bucket** — Railway-managed and S3-compatible. Holds every uploaded file, keyed by share.

### Environment Variables Reference

| Variable | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| `APP_URL` | Public URL share links are built from. Applied every boot. | Yes |
| `ADMIN_EMAIL` | Administrator account created on first boot. | Yes |
| `ADMIN_PASSWORD` | Password for it. Change it after signing in. | Yes |
| `ADMIN_USERNAME` | Username for it. Defaults to `admin`. | No |
| `ALLOW_REGISTRATION` | Whether strangers can sign up. Seeded once, then owned by the admin panel. | No |
| `ALLOW_UNAUTHENTICATED_SHARES` | Whether anonymous visitors can create shares. | No |
| `SECURE_COOKIES` | Marks session cookies secure. Leave on. | No |
| `S3_ENABLED` | Store files in the bucket instead of the volume. | No |
| `S3_ENDPOINT`, `S3_REGION`, `S3_BUCKET_NAME`, `S3_KEY`, `S3_SECRET` | Bucket credentials, pre-wired. | No |
| `S3_USE_CHECKSUM` | Keep `false` for non-AWS endpoints. | No |
| `CLAMAV_HOST`, `CLAMAV_PORT` | Scanner address. Clear the host to skip scanning. | No |
| `TRUST_PROXY` | Read the client address from `X-Forwarded-For`. | No |

### Deployment Dependencies

- Node.js 24, bundled in the image — nothing to install
- Docker Hub: [smp46/pingvin-share-x](https://hub.docker.com/r/smp46/pingvin-share-x), [clamav/clamav](https://hub.docker.com/r/clamav/clamav)
- Docs: [smp46.github.io/pingvin-share-x](https://smp46.github.io/pingvin-share-x/)

## Hardware Requirements for Self-Hosting Pingvin Share X

| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 1 vCPU | 2 vCPU |
| RAM (app) | 512 MB | 1 GB |
| RAM (with ClamAV) | 3 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage | 1 GB volume + bucket | 5 GB volume + bucket |
| Runtime | Node.js 24, in the image | Node.js 24, in the image |

ClamAV is the expensive component: roughly 1 GB of signatures in memory and a GB of disk. Drop it if resources are tight — the app runs fine without it. With files in the bucket, the volume holds only the database and branding, so it stays small.

## How to Self-Host Pingvin Share X Outside Railway

Upstream ships a Compose file. Files land on the local volume unless you point storage at S3 in the admin panel.

```
services:
  pingvin-share-x:
    image: smp46/pingvin-share-x
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - 3000:3000
    environment:
      - TRUST_PROXY=true
    volumes:
      - ./data:/opt/app/backend/data
      - ./data/images:/opt/app/frontend/public/img
```

Add the scanner as a second service:

```
  clamav:
    image: clamav/clamav:stable
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - ./clamav:/var/lib/clamav
```

Run `docker compose up -d` and open `http://localhost:3000`. The first account registered becomes the administrator, so create it immediately, turn registration off under Administration → Configuration → Share, and put TLS in front.

## Is Pingvin Share X Free?

Yes. Pingvin Share X is open source under the BSD 2-Clause licence — no paid tier, seat count, feature gate or upload cap, and no cloud edition to upsell you. On Railway you pay for infrastructure only: container, volume and the storage your shares use.

## Pingvin Share X vs WeTransfer

| | Pingvin Share X | WeTransfer |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | Yes, BSD 2-Clause | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Cost | Free, you pay hosting | Free tier, then per seat |
| Upload limit | Your storage | 2 GB free tier |
| Accounts | Local, OIDC, LDAP, TOTP | Paid plans |
| Reverse uploads | Yes | Paid feature |

WeTransfer is easier when files are not sensitive. Pingvin Share X wins when retention, storage location and access control must be yours — and unlike Mozilla's discontinued Send, it is actively developed.

## FAQ

**What is Pingvin Share X?**

An open source, self-hosted file sharing platform: upload files, get a link, set an expiry, password or visitor limit. It is the maintained fork of Pingvin Share.

**Why does the template include object storage instead of just a volume?**

Because file sharing grows unpredictably. Metadata stays in SQLite on the volume while bytes go to the bucket, so a large share never fills the volume and ZIP downloads stream from storage.

**Can I run self-hosted Pingvin Share X in production?**

Yes. Enable TOTP on admin accounts, configure SMTP, and set an expiry policy. It runs as a single instance because it uses SQLite, which is fine at team scale; files scale with the bucket.

**Does self-hosted Pingvin Share X scan uploads for malware?**

Yes, when ClamAV is running: the app streams each file to the scanner and removes infected ones from the share. If the scanner is unavailable, uploads still complete.

**How do I use my own domain for self-hosted Pingvin Share X?**

Add the custom domain in Railway, then set `APP_URL` to match — every share and reverse-share link is built from that value.

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