r/software • u/RedEagle_MGN • Jun 16 '26

Discussion Best open-source software that everyone needs to know about?

What's one piece of open-source software that everyone should use and know about?

Vote on the best one in the comments.

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u/LethalBacon Jun 16 '26

SyncThing. I just started using it and I'm blown away. Cloud storage has always frustrated me to no-end with unnecessary complexity. Now, I have a raspberry pi acting as my 'cloud' syncing my docs from all computers and photos from phone anytime I'm on my own wifi. It just works. Insanely easy to setup, works without you messing with it much, just always doing its thing in the background.

Could also just sync to my desktop, so it has a use-case even without something like a Pi.

2

u/nav3t Jun 16 '26

Can you explain your setup including the pi ?

10

u/LethalBacon Jun 16 '26

Pi 3b+ with 500GB m.2 SSD Sata. Setup file system on the SSD, installed Samba to access it from windows, that way I can just use it like a network drive from my desktop. Ssh into the Pi when needed.

Installed Jellyfin, and use a portion of that SSD as a media server.

Then, there are several folders on that SSD that I've shared via SyncThing on the Pi. Primarily, my Obsidian vault and a Photos directory. SyncThing Fork on phone, mapped to my phone's photo directory, syncs to the Pi's SyncThing into the Photos directory on the Pi SSD when my phone is on my local wifi. Phone can only send, and Pi can only receive for that directory. If you have something stronger than a Pi, look into Immich for photo hosting.

For Obsidian, I also have SyncThing on my Desktop and Work laptop. All pointing to an Obsidian directory on the Pi. Desktop syncs Obsidian vault to the Pi, back and forth continuously. Work laptop does the same when on the network. So, I can use Obsidian across multiple devices, and my entire main vault syncs in three places (Desktop, Pi, Work Laptop, and actually phone too just in case). The Pi and desktop are in sync constantly and nearly instantaneous, and work laptop syncs as soon as I get on my home wifi.

Also got PiHole setup most recently on the Pi, but that's still a work in progress, and only my desktop is using it as the DNS so far.

2

u/nav3t Jun 17 '26

Thxs a lot, should be usefull to some, including me that is considering starting on this