Self-host Syncthing
- License
- MPL-2.0
- GitHub stars
- 90,202, as of 8 Nov 2026
- Latest release
- v2.1.7, as of 8 Nov 2026
- Host needs
- Not stated in official docs
- Install method
- Docker
- One-click template
- Available
- License: MPL-2.0.
- Last commit: 2 Nov 2026 11:47 SGT, as of 8 Nov 2026. The repository is not archived.
- GitHub stars, as of 8 Nov 2026: 90,202. Latest release, as of 8 Nov 2026: v2.1.7, published 21 Oct 2026 14:09 SGT.
- What it does: Syncthing keeps folders in sync directly between your own devices, peer to peer. Its FAQ says it is "not a great backup application".
Requirements
CPU, RAM and disk are not stated in the official docs we read.
On file ownership, the readme says: "Note that Syncthing runs as UID 1000 and GID 1000 by default."
For networking, the readme warns that "Docker's default network mode prevents local IP addresses from being discovered", and the official compose example uses "network_mode: host".
Docker or Docker Compose
The official guide is Docker Container for Syncthing in the Syncthing repo.
It says "Use the Dockerfile in this repo, or pull the syncthing/syncthing image from Docker Hub." and gives examples for both the Docker CLI and Docker Compose.
Hosting options
The official compose file uses host networking. A platform template such as Railway may not reproduce that, so a VPS or a machine at home fits the doc more closely.
A Railway template for Syncthing is at railway.com/deploy/syncthing, created by shinyduo.
It was created on 22 Sep 2025, runs the image syncthing/syncthing:latest, and showed "Total Projects 8" on 17 Oct 2026.
The docs give no RAM figure, so the template cannot be checked against the Railway Free limit of "0.5 GB RAM per service".
Backups and updates
Backups: the FAQ answers "Is Syncthing my ideal backup application?" with "No. Syncthing is not a great backup application because all changes to your files (modifications, deletions, etc.) will be propagated to all your devices."
A method for backing up Syncthing's own configuration is not documented on the pages we read.
Updates: self-upgrade is on by default. The FAQ says "If automatic upgrades is enabled (which is the default), Syncthing will upgrade itself automatically within 24 hours of a new release."
A Docker-specific update step is not documented on the pages we read.
Alternatives
Syncthing is listed on open-source alternatives to Dropbox.
A related guide on this site is Self-host Nextcloud.