FileBrowser

Phase 10

Prerequisite: Docker

Before jumping into media servers and automation stacks, it is useful to deploy something simple that proves your environment is working.

FileBrowser is a good first container because it lets you inspect and manage files in your NAS mounts from a web UI.

That makes it handy for:

sanity-checking your SMB/NFS mounts
creating folders from a browser
moving files around without constantly using SSH

Why Use This First?

Because it validates several layers at once:

Docker is working
your appdata path is writable
your NAS mounts are accessible
your NixOS VM can serve a web UI normally

If this page works cleanly, the rest of the stack gets easier.

Create the Appdata Directory

mkdir -p ~/docker/appdata/filebrowser
mkdir -p ~/docker/compose/core

Create the Compose File

Create ~/docker/compose/core/filebrowser.compose.yml with the following contents:

services:
  filebrowser:
    image: filebrowser/filebrowser:latest
    container_name: filebrowser
    ports:
      - "8081:80"
    volumes:
      - /mnt/nas:/srv
      - /home/<your-user>/docker/appdata/filebrowser/database.db:/database/filebrowser.db
      - /home/<your-user>/docker/appdata/filebrowser/settings.json:/config/settings.json
    restart: unless-stopped
    networks:
      - proxy

networks:
  proxy:
    external: true

Replace /home/<your-user> with your actual home directory path.

If you skipped TrueNAS and do not have /mnt/nas mounted yet, you can temporarily point /srv at a local path instead, such as /home/<your-user>.

Start the Container

docker compose -f ~/docker/compose/core/filebrowser.compose.yml up -d

Then confirm it is running:

docker ps

Access FileBrowser

From another computer on your LAN or from a Tailscale-connected device, open:

http://<nixos-ip>:8081

The default login for FileBrowser is commonly:

Username: admin
Password: admin

If that is still true for your deployment, log in and change it immediately.

WARNING: Do not expose FileBrowser directly to the public internet with a default password, ever.

What to Do With It

Use FileBrowser to confirm you can see:

your NAS shares under /srv/media, /srv/photos, etc.
new folders you create from the web UI
files written by your user account

If permissions look wrong, fix that now before you start stacking more services on top of those same paths.

When Not to Use It

FileBrowser is convenient, but it is not a replacement for:

proper NAS permissions design
a real backup strategy
terminal access when you need precise control

Think of it as a practical utility, not as the canonical interface to your filesystem.

Next Steps

Next, we will look at one of the more optional but fun services in the stack: running a Minecraft server through Crafty.

Proceed to Crafty.

Last updated: March 2026

← Docker Crafty →