Help & Documentation

SFTP Manager is a web-based tool for managing SFTP users on Linux servers. It connects to your servers via SSH (as root or a privileged user) and automates the creation, modification, and deletion of SFTP user accounts.

Prerequisites

• A Linux server with SSH access (root or sudo privileges)
• OpenSSH server installed and configured on the target host
• A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

When you first access SFTP Manager, you will be asked to choose a storage backend. All configuration data (hosts, users, audit logs) is stored client-side — the server never persists any data.

Storage Options

• Local Storage — Data is stored in your browser's localStorage. Simple and fast, but limited to one browser/device.
• Google Sheets — Data is synced to a Google Spreadsheet via OAuth. Accessible from any device. Requires a Google Cloud project with Sheets API enabled.
• Microsoft Excel Online — Data is synced to a OneDrive Excel workbook via Microsoft Graph. Requires an Azure AD app registration.

A "host" represents a Linux server that you want to manage SFTP users on.

1. Navigate to Hosts and click Add Host.
2. Enter a display name, hostname/IP, SSH port (default 22), and SSH username (typically root).
3. Choose authentication method: password or private key (base64-encoded).
4. Set the SFTP base directory (default /home). User home directories will be created under this path.
5. Click Add Host. Use Test Connection in settings to verify SSH access.

Creating a User

1. Go to a host's Users page and click Add User.
2. Enter a username (lowercase, max 32 characters).
3. Set or generate a password (min 8 characters). Save the credentials — the password cannot be retrieved later.
4. Set the home directory path and configure permissions.
5. Optionally enable chroot to restrict the user to their home directory.

Editing a User

Click Edit on any user to modify their home directory, permissions, chroot setting, or active status.

Resetting a Password

Click Reset PW and enter a new password (min 8 characters).

Deleting a User

Click Delete to remove the user from both the server (including their home directory) and storage.

The File Explorer lets you browse and manage files in a user's home directory directly from the web interface.

1. Click Explore on any user in the Users table.
2. Browse directories by clicking folder names. Use the breadcrumb or ".." to navigate back.
3. Use the toolbar to Upload files (max 100MB), create New Folders, or Refresh the listing.
4. Use the actions menu (three dots) on any file to Download, Rename, or Delete.

Security: Uploaded files are streamed directly to the SFTP destination and never stored on the SFTP Manager server. Path traversal attempts are blocked.

Each SFTP user has three permission flags:

• Read (r) — Can list and download files
• Write (w) — Can upload and modify files
• Execute (x) — Can access directories

When Chroot is enabled, the user is jailed to their home directory and cannot navigate or access files outside of it. This is highly recommended for security.

Every action (create, update, delete, password reset) is recorded in the host's audit log. Navigate to a host's Audit Log page to see a chronological list of all administrative actions.

• Use SSH key authentication instead of passwords when connecting to hosts.
• Always enable chroot for SFTP users to prevent directory traversal.
• Use strong, randomly generated passwords for SFTP users.
• Regularly review the audit log for suspicious activity.
• Keep your Linux server's OpenSSH up to date.
• If using Google Sheets or MS Excel storage, protect your OAuth credentials.
• Deploy SFTP Manager behind HTTPS (the default with Dokploy/Traefik).

Connection Test Fails

• Verify the hostname/IP and port are correct.
• Ensure the SSH user has root or sudo privileges.
• Check that your server's firewall allows SSH on the configured port.
• If using key auth, ensure the key is base64-encoded correctly.

User Creation Fails

• The username may already exist on the server. Try a different username.
• Ensure the SFTP base directory exists on the server.

File Upload Fails

• Check that the file is under 100MB.
• Verify the user's home directory has write permissions.
• Ensure the SSH connection to the host is working.