Netatalk, Open Source File Server for Macs
Netatalk is a Free and Open Source file server for Macs. The Netatalk software runs on a UNIX-like operating system (such as Linux, BSD or macOS) and allows Macintosh computers to easily connect with each other and share files on a local network or over the Internet.
Written in pure C, it is light-weight, performant, and portable. Conforming to the Apple Filing Protocol specification up to and including AFP 3.4, any macOS, Mac OS X, or Mac OS system can talk to a Netatalk file server out of the box.
Since 1990, Netatalk has been leveraged by universities, enterprises, and home users for collaboration and remote data backup on Macs. With Netatalk, any UNIX-like host is able to integrate seamlessly with macOS network file system services.
Getting Started
There are roughly three ways to get started with Netatalk: Install a pre-built binary package, pull a container image, or build the software yourself from source. Knowledge of how to install packages, edit configuration files, and starting/stopping system services are required.
1. Install a pre-built package for your distribution
Use your operating system’s package manager to install the latest available netatalk package. This is the recommended option for most users.
See Repology for a list of known packages.
2. Deploy a container image
The project publishes images on Docker Hub that can be deployed with a container runtime such as docker or podman.
Refer to the container documentation for details on how to configure the container.
3. Build from source
You want to build from source when neither of the previous options are feasible, or when you want to do a hardened Netatalk deployment with only a subset of features enabled.
You need a C compiler (we use gcc or clang), the Meson build system with Ninja, together with required libraries. Read more in the Netatalk manual or the OS specific guides in the wiki.
How to Use
By default, Netatalk shares the home directory of each authorized user, with secure authentication methods compatible with macOS, Mac OS X, Mac OS 9 and Mac OS 8.
If you need a different setup, you have to configure the host system before starting Netatalk. Netatalk has a dizzying amount of options which can be daunting initially. The Configuration chapter and afp.conf page in the Netatalk manual are good places to start.
Once Netatalk is up and running, in the macOS Finder, active Netatalk file servers appear under Locations, or in the Network drawer. On Classic Mac OS, you use the AppleShare client within the Chooser desk accessory.
How to Contribute
If you found a bug or have an idea for a new feature, please file a ticket at the GitHub issue tracker.
If you want to contribute code, please familiarize yourself with the Contributor Guidelines and then file a Pull Request with the project.
We are looking forward to your contribution!
Latest News
Netatalk 4.2.4 is available
31st of May 2025
The Netatalk development team is proud to announce the latest version in the Netatalk 4.2 release series. This release has fixes for building on macOS with MacPorts, as well as the latest Solaris 11.4.81 CBE release. All users of previous Netatalk versions are encouraged to upgrade to 4.2.4.
For a summary of news and a detailed list of changes see the Release Notes.
Netatalk 4.2.3 is available
7th of May 2025
The Netatalk development team is proud to announce the latest version in the Netatalk 4.2 release series.
In this version, we ship a handful of bug fixes and improvements to the documentation. All users of previous Netatalk versions are encouraged to upgrade to 4.2.3.
For a summary of news and a detailed list of changes see the Release Notes.
Netatalk 4.2.2 is available
27th of April 2025
The Netatalk development team is proud to announce the latest version in the Netatalk 4.2 release series.
This release contains overhauled documentation, improvements to the netatalk webmin module, and significant new containerization capabilities.
All users of previous Netatalk versions are encouraged to upgrade to 4.2.2.
For a summary of news and a detailed list of changes see the Release Notes.
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