Puter

Puter is a self-hostable “personal cloud” that runs as a web-based desktop environment in the browser. It combines a file manager, app launcher, and user accounts to provide a lightweight, desktop-like experience for accessing files and web apps from anywhere.

Key Features

• Browser-based desktop UI with windows, launcher, and desktop-like workflows
• File manager with upload/download and folder organization
• Multi-user support with accounts and user home directories
• App model for running/installing web apps inside the desktop environment
• Web access from any device without a native client

Use Cases

• Personal or family private cloud for browsing and organizing files via a familiar desktop UI
• Lightweight “web OS” portal for hosting internal tools as apps for a small team
• Kiosk/remote workstation experience where users only need a browser

Limitations and Considerations

• Desktop-like UX is best suited to light productivity and web apps; it is not a full VM/remote desktop replacement
• Feature set and APIs may change as the project evolves; review release notes before upgrades

Puter is a good fit when you want a simple, browser-first desktop experience on top of your own storage and services. It’s especially useful as a unified entry point for files and lightweight web applications under a familiar UI paradigm.