Microbin: A Minimal, Self-Hosted File Sharing and URL Shortener in Rust

Need a dead-simple way to share files or shorten URLs without relying on third-party services? Microbin is a lightweight, self-hosted solution written in Rust that does exactly that—with zero fuss.

Unlike bloated alternatives, Microbin keeps things lean and configurable. It’s perfect for developers who want a private, no-nonsense tool for quick file drops or link shortening.

What It Does

Microbin is a web app that lets you:

• Upload and share files (with optional password protection)
• Create short links for URLs
• Paste and share text snippets (with syntax highlighting)
• Self-host everything—no cloud dependencies

All data is stored locally, and the entire thing runs as a single binary.

Why It’s Cool

• Rust-Powered: Fast, efficient, and memory-safe.
• No Database Required: Uses SQLite (or JSON) by default, but you can run it entirely in-memory if needed.
• Easy Cross-Compilation: Supports no-c-deps for static builds, making deployment trivial (even on ARM devices).
• Privacy-First: No telemetry, no tracking—just your data, your rules.
• Configurable AF: Tweak everything via CLI flags or environment variables.

How to Try It

1. Quick Demo: Check out the live instance at microbin.eu.
2. Self-Host:

   cargo install microbin
   microbin --port 8080
   

   Or grab a pre-built binary from the GitHub repo.

Final Thoughts

Microbin is one of those tools that just works without getting in your way. If you’ve ever needed a private alternative to services like Pastebin or TinyURL, this is it. The Rust implementation makes it snappy, and the simplicity means you’ll spend less time configuring and more time sharing.

Give it a spin—you might never go back to clunky web uploaders again.

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