How to: quickstart
just run **[copyparty-sfx.py](https://github.com/9001/copyparty/releases/latest/download/copyparty-sfx.py)** -- that's it! 🎉

> ℹ️ the sfx is a [self-extractor](https://github.com/9001/copyparty/issues/270) which unpacks an embedded `tar.gz` into `$TEMP` -- if this looks too scary, you can use the [zipapp](#zipapp) which has slightly worse performance

* or install through [pypi](https://pypi.org/project/copyparty/): `python3 -m pip install --user -U copyparty`
* or if you cannot install python, you can use [copyparty.exe](#copypartyexe) instead
* or install [on arch](#arch-package) / [homebrew](#homebrew-formulae) ╱ [on NixOS](#nixos-module) ╱ [through nix](#nix-package)
* or if you are on android, [install copyparty in termux](#install-on-android)
* or maybe an iPhone or iPad? [install in a-Shell on iOS](#install-on-iOS)
* or maybe you have a [synology nas / dsm](./docs/synology-dsm.md)
* or if you have [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) installed, run `uv tool run copyparty`
* or if your computer is messed up and nothing else works, [try the pyz](#zipapp)
* or if your OS is dead, give the [bootable flashdrive / cd-rom](https://a.ocv.me/pub/stuff/edcd001/enterprise-edition/) a spin
* or if you don't trust copyparty yet and want to isolate it a little, then...
  * ...maybe [prisonparty](./bin/prisonparty.sh) to create a tiny [chroot](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Chroot) (very portable),
  * ...or [bubbleparty](./bin/bubbleparty.sh) to wrap it in [bubblewrap](https://github.com/containers/bubblewrap) (much better)
* or if you prefer to [use docker](./scripts/docker/) 🐋 you can do that too
  * docker has all deps built-in, so skip this step:

enable thumbnails (images/audio/video), media indexing, and audio transcoding by installing some recommended deps:

* **Alpine:** `apk add py3-pillow ffmpeg`
* **Debian:** `apt install --no-install-recommends python3-pil ffmpeg`
* **Fedora:** rpmfusion + `dnf install python3-pillow ffmpeg --allowerasing`
* **FreeBSD:** `pkg install py39-sqlite3 py39-pillow ffmpeg`
* **MacOS:** `port install py-Pillow ffmpeg`
* **MacOS** (alternative): `brew install pillow ffmpeg`
* **Windows:** `python -m pip install --user -U Pillow`
  * install [python](https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/) and [ffmpeg](#optional-dependencies) manually; do not use `winget` or `Microsoft Store` (it breaks $PATH)
  * copyparty.exe comes with `Pillow` and only needs [ffmpeg](#optional-dependencies) for mediatags/videothumbs
* see [optional dependencies](#optional-dependencies) to enable even more features

running copyparty without arguments (for example doubleclicking it on Windows) will give everyone read/write access to the current folder; you may want [accounts and volumes](#accounts-and-volumes)

or see [some usage examples](#complete-examples) for inspiration, or the [complete windows example](./docs/examples/windows.md)

some recommended options:
* `-e2dsa` enables general [file indexing](#file-indexing)
* `-e2ts` enables audio metadata indexing (needs either FFprobe or Mutagen)
* `-v /mnt/music:/music:r:rw,foo -a foo:bar` shares `/mnt/music` as `/music`, `r`eadable by anyone, and read-write for user `foo`, password `bar`
  * replace `:r:rw,foo` with `:r,foo` to only make the folder readable by `foo` and nobody else
  * see [accounts and volumes](#accounts-and-volumes) (or [`--help-accounts`](https://copyparty.eu/cli/#accounts-help-page)) for the syntax and other permissions