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Feature: storage connectors #1515

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lexoyo opened this issue Jul 15, 2023 · 7 comments
Open
1 of 4 tasks

Feature: storage connectors #1515

lexoyo opened this issue Jul 15, 2023 · 7 comments
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v3
Milestone
Silex v3 - step #...

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@lexoyo
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lexoyo commented Jul 15, 2023 •
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A storage connector in Silex is a plugin that allows users to directly connect their preferred cloud storage service to the Silex application. It means Silex itself doesn't need to store any user data on its servers, which enhances user privacy and data ownership.

Because Silex isn't storing user data, it reduces the cost of hosting the service, which is why Silex Labs can afford to host a free instance of Silex for users. It's an elegant way to maintain user control over data while keeping the operational costs of the platform minimal.

Silex v3 aims to focus on free and open-source services to align with the principles of open data, user privacy, and freedom of choice. Open-source storage solutions can offer transparency, flexibility, and security benefits over proprietary solutions. So no more Dropbox or github in v3

I considere services that are both self-hostable and offer a SaaS (Software as a Service) version with a free plan. Here's what this means:

  1. Self-hostable: The service should be open source, which means its source code is publicly available. This allows users or developers to host the service on their own server or infrastructure. This is a key requirement for those who want full control over their data, desire to customize the service, or have specific security, privacy, or performance requirements.

  2. SaaS with a free plan: The service should also offer a hosted version, ideally with a free tier or plan. SaaS is a software delivery model where the service is hosted on the provider's servers and accessed through the internet. A SaaS version with a free plan allows users to start using the service with no upfront cost and without needing to set up and maintain their own server. This can be especially appealing for small teams, individuals, or beginners who might not have the resources or technical expertise to self-host the service.

This constraint is a great way to ensure accessibility and flexibility. Users who prefer ease of use and convenience can use the SaaS version, while those who prefer more control can opt for the self-hosted version. It also aligns with the principles of data ownership, user freedom, and openness.

Here is my list so far:

  1. Traditional Storage Protocols/Services

    • SFTP: Secure network protocol for file transfer. Many hosting providers support it, but no standardized free SaaS exists.
    • NFS: Network file system for sharing files over a network. Typically requires self-hosting, and no standardized free SaaS exists.
    • WebDAV (check this lightweight dav server):
      • Nextcloud: Suite of client-server software for creating file hosting services. Offers a free account with 2GB storage on their hosted service.
      • ownCloud: Open-source, self-hostable file sync and share server. Offers a free tier for individual users.
      • Framasoft is a non profit offering free Nextcloud instances (see framaspace and framadrive

  2. Object Storage Solutions

    • MinIO: High-performance, AWS S3 compatible object storage. You can self-host it for free, but no standardized free SaaS exists.

  3. Database Services/Headless CMS

  4. Distributed Storage Protocols/Services

    • IPFS: Decentralized protocol for content-addressable storage. Pinata and Infura offer free tier pinning services for IPFS.

Feel free to discuss this list
@lexoyo lexoyo added this to silex v3 Jul 15, 2023
@lexoyo lexoyo converted this from a draft issue Jul 15, 2023
@lexoyo lexoyo moved this from Draft to Ready in silex v3 Jul 15, 2023
@lexoyo lexoyo added this to the Silex v3 - step #1 - beta milestone Jul 15, 2023
@lexoyo lexoyo added the v3 label Jul 15, 2023
@lexoyo lexoyo changed the title storage connectors Feature: storage connectors Jul 15, 2023
@lexoyo
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lexoyo commented Jul 16, 2023

Any thoughts @GetLikha @silexlabs/silex-labs-contributors ?

@GetLikha
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Any thoughts @GetLikha @silexlabs/silex-labs-contributors ?
First of all, great insights for V3. It's great to see the focus on self-hostable options and SaaS versions with free plans. This ensures user control, accessibility, and aligns with the principles of open data and privacy. Well done!

I'd look more into IPFS, and we've used Pinata before for some of our sites. We love the idea of V3's new principles, but removing GitHub/Dropbox may be inconvenient for some users in our opinion. I, personally was going to suggest looking into Cloudflare Pages Docs, but according to tosdr, it doesn't align with core principles.

Utilizing IPFS is a great option since it gives control to users, and keeps hosting fees minimal, other than that, no insights from us.

Goodluck on V3!

@JbIPS
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JbIPS commented Jul 18, 2023

What about WebDAV? It's an open protocol with a lot of implementation like in any Nextcloud server. Such server can be found in a free SaaS plan (I'm thinking of Framadrive/Framaspace) or you could deploy a WebDAV server on your own.

@lexoyo
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lexoyo commented Jul 18, 2023

Ooooh I looked for free hosting of own/NextCloud but could not find one, I did not know about framadrive and framaspace !!!

It is quite a shame to make users have a whole Own/NextCloud instance just to store a bunch of JSON files and assets... Or maybe not

I'm adding webdav then !

@JbIPS
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JbIPS commented Jul 18, 2023 via email

@lexoyo
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lexoyo commented Jul 18, 2023 via email

@lexoyo lexoyo moved this from Ready to In Progress in silex v3 Jul 22, 2023
@lexoyo
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lexoyo commented Sep 15, 2023

Gitlab is now implemented (v3.silex.me)

But it shows a warning to new users that there is a free trial. I am in contact with someone at gitlab and they say

Just a note that the SaaS versions of GitLab are not technically FOSS; they contain source-available bits that are not licensed with OSI-approved open source licenses. This software includes the bits that will ask you/allow you to upgrade to higher paid tiers. The "pure" FOSS version of GitLab is the Community Edition:
https://about.gitlab.com/install/ce-or-ee/
You can install and host that version to have a completely FOSS experience.

So I should probably

  • explain about this in the UI somewhere
  • let users connect to a self hosted gitlab maybe?

Also I am not sure if this free trial transforms into a free account without the paid features

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v3
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silex v3
Status: In Progress
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Silex v3 - step #1 - beta
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@lexoyo @JbIPS @GetLikha