### Start nginx service

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-set-up-dropshare-with-a-digitalocean-droplet.html

Start the nginx service after installation.

```bash
# service nginx start
```

--------------------------------

### Fast Path: Clone, run setup script, start Docker, and copy SSH key

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Quick-start commands for experienced users. Requires Docker on the server. Run git clone, cd into the repo, execute ./setup.sh with your domain, then start with docker compose up -d. Finally copy the generated private key to your Mac and set its permissions.

```bash
# On your server (requires Docker)
git clone https://github.com/dropshareapp/dropshare-selfhosted.git
cd dropshare-selfhosted
./setup.sh              # Enter your domain, accept defaults
docker compose up -d    # Start the server

# Copy the private key to your Mac
scp user@server:~/dropshare-selfhosted/config/ssh/dropshare_key ~/.ssh/
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/dropshare_key

```

--------------------------------

### Install Docker on Fedora

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Commands to install Docker and its plugins on Fedora using dnf, then start and enable the Docker service and add the current user to the docker group.

```bash
# Install Docker
sudo dnf -y install dnf-plugins-core
sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo https://download.docker.com/linux/fedora/docker-ce.repo
sudo dnf install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Start and enable Docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Add your user to the docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
```

--------------------------------

### Install Docker on Arch Linux

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Commands to install Docker and Docker Compose on Arch Linux using pacman, then start and enable Docker and add the current user to the docker group.

```bash
# Install Docker
sudo pacman -S docker docker-compose

# Start and enable Docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Add your user to the docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
```

--------------------------------

### Install markitdown with Homebrew and pipx

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-install-markitdown-to-convert-ms-office-files-to-html.html

Alternative installation method for Homebrew users. Installs pipx first, then uses pipx to install markitdown.

```bash
brew install pipx && pipx install markitdown
```

--------------------------------

### Clone and Run Setup Script

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Commands to clone the Dropshare self-hosted repository and run the setup script, which prompts for domain name, SFTP username, SFTP port, upload path, and HTTP/HTTPS ports.

```bash
git clone https://github.com/dropshareapp/dropshare-selfhosted.git
cd dropshare-selfhosted
./setup.sh
```

--------------------------------

### Update system and install nginx

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-set-up-dropshare-with-a-digitalocean-droplet.html

Update package sources, optionally upgrade, and install nginx.

```bash
# apt-get update

# apt-get upgrade <Optional but recommended>

# apt-get install nginx
```

--------------------------------

### Install FFmpeg with Homebrew

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-enable-gif-screen-recordings-and-install-ffmpeg.html

Run this command in Terminal.app after installing Homebrew to install FFmpeg, which Dropshare uses to convert .mov screen recordings to .gif or .mp4.

```bash
brew install ffmpeg
```

--------------------------------

### Install Docker on CentOS / RHEL / Rocky Linux / AlmaLinux

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Commands to install Docker on CentOS/RHEL-based distributions using yum, then start and enable Docker and add the current user to the docker group.

```bash
# Install prerequisites
sudo yum install -y yum-utils

# Add Docker repository
sudo yum-config-manager --add-repo https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo

# Install Docker
sudo yum install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Start and enable Docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Add your user to the docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
```

--------------------------------

### Install markitdown with pip3

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-install-markitdown-to-convert-ms-office-files-to-html.html

Use this command in Terminal.app to install markitdown via pip3. This is the primary installation method.

```bash
pip3 install markitdown
```

--------------------------------

### Start the Server with Docker Compose

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Command to start the Dropshare server in detached mode using Docker Compose.

```bash
docker compose up -d
```

--------------------------------

### Enable fail2ban on Linux

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Command to start the server with the fail2ban profile on Linux.

```bash
docker compose --profile linux up -d
```

--------------------------------

### Open URL with placeholders

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-use-upload-hooks.html

Example URL scheme for the Open URL hook, using placeholders %fileName% and %url%. Placeholder values are URL encoded automatically.

```url
things:///add?title=%fileName%&notes=%url%
```

--------------------------------

### Example JSON 3: Array of strings

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/how-to-set-up-a-custom-api-connection.html

Shows a JSON response with a 'files' array containing direct URLs. Use '%files[0]%' as the URL to file.

```json
{
  "files": [
    "http://server.com/uploads/file.png"
  ]
}
```

--------------------------------

### Full JSON payload example

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-use-upload-hooks.html

Example of the full JSON payload sent to webhooks, shell commands, or shortcuts. Shows all fields with sample values. Note that fileSize is a number, encrypted and isScreenshot are booleans, and all other fields are strings.

```json
{
  "event": "post-upload",
  "fileName": "Screenshot.png",
  "filePath": "/Users/you/Desktop/Screenshot.png",
  "fileSize": 123456,
  "mimeType": "image/png",
  "connectionKey": "…",
  "connectionName": "My Server",
  "connectionType": "sftp",
  "connectionTypeName": "SFTP",
  "url": "https://example.com/d/screenshot-a1b2c3/",
  "directUrl": "https://example.com/d/screenshot-a1b2c3.png",
  "landingPageUrl": "https://example.com/d/screenshot-a1b2c3/",
  "shortUrl": "https://dshre.com/abc123",
  "encrypted": false,
  "decryptionKey": "",
  "uploadId": "…",
  "uploadedTo": "d/screenshot-a1b2c3.png",
  "fileHash": "…",
  "isScreenshot": true,
  "date": "2026-09-26T10:32:15Z"
}
```

--------------------------------

### Example JSON 2: Array of objects

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/how-to-set-up-a-custom-api-connection.html

Shows a JSON response as an array of objects, each with a 'url' property. Use '%[0].url%' as the URL to file.

```json
[
  {
    "url": "http://server.com/uploads/file.png"
  }
]
```

--------------------------------

### Docker Compose commands for server management

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Commands to start, stop, view logs, and restart the self-hosted server using Docker Compose.

```bash
# Start the server
docker compose up -d

# Stop the server
docker compose down

# View logs
docker compose logs -f

# View specific service logs
docker compose logs -f sftp
docker compose logs -f caddy

# Restart after config changes
docker compose restart
```

--------------------------------

### Create dropshare user and set up directory

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-set-up-dropshare-with-a-digitalocean-droplet.html

Create a system user 'dropshare' and set up the public_html directory with appropriate permissions.

```bash
# useradd -m dropshare

# cd /home/dropshare

# mkdir public_html

# chown dropshare:www-data public_html

# chmod g+rwx public_html
```

--------------------------------

### Enable nginx site and reload

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-set-up-dropshare-with-a-digitalocean-droplet.html

Create a symbolic link to enable the dropshare site and reload nginx.

```bash
# ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/dropshare /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/dropshare

# service nginx reload
```

--------------------------------

### Launch Dropshare with importConnection and licenseCode parameters

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/how-to/how-to-automate-the-deployment-of-dropshare-for-macos.html

Starts Dropshare with launch parameters to import two connections and activate a license. Replace the file paths, passphrases, license code, and email with your own values. Requires Dropshare 5.0.4 or later.

```bash
open /Applications/Dropshare.app --args -importConnection "/Users/test/test.dsconn" -importPassphrase "test" -importConnection "/Users/test/test2.dsconn" -importPassphrase "test2" -licenseCode "aaaa-bbbb-cccc-dddd-eeee" -licenseEmail "test@example.com"
```

--------------------------------

### Verify Docker Installation

Source: https://kb.dropshare.app/set-up-an-upload-connection/self-hosted.html

Commands to check the installed Docker and Docker Compose versions after logging out and back in.

```bash
docker --version
docker compose version
```