Nextcloud

Nextcloud is a German open-source software suite providing secure file synchronization, sharing, and collaboration solutions. Founded by Frank Karlitschek after forking from ownCloud (which he also created), Nextcloud offers organizations complete control over their data through self-hosted alternatives to commercial cloud services. The core of Nextcloud is its file hosting system, similar to Dropbox or Google Drive, but with the key difference that it runs on the user's own server infrastructure, ensuring complete data sovereignty. Beyond file storage, Nextcloud offers a comprehensive productivity platform including calendar management, contact organization, email, video conferencing through Nextcloud Talk, collaborative document editing, task management, and project planning tools. The platform emphasizes security and privacy with features like end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and compliance with regulations such as GDPR. Nextcloud follows an open-source development model with its code publicly available, while Nextcloud GmbH provides enterprise support, consulting services, and additional features for business customers. The software is used by a range of organizations including educational institutions, government agencies, healthcare providers, and businesses concerned with data privacy and sovereignty. Nextcloud's philosophy centers on giving users complete control over their digital lives while providing modern collaboration capabilities without compromising on security or privacy.