The Nextcloud company has recently introduced the release of the Nextcloud Hub 26 Winter platform, offering a comprehensive solution for facilitating collaboration among enterprise employees and project teams. Accompanying this release, they have also unveiled the cloud platform Nextcloud 33, which is the foundation for Nextcloud Hub. This cloud platform enables users to deploy cloud storage with synchronization and data exchange functionalities, allowing for easy viewing and editing of data from any device within the network. Users can also perform tasks such as downloading participant lists in CSV format, creating surveys, and importing and exporting data using the platform’s web interface or WebDAV. The Nextcloud server is compatible with hosting services that support PHP scripts and provide access to SQLite, MariaDB/MySQL, or PostgreSQL databases. Additionally, the Nextcloud source code is distributed under the AGPL license.
Nextcloud Hub is comparable to Google Docs and Microsoft 365 in terms of the tasks it can handle; however, it distinguishes itself by providing users with a fully controlled collaboration infrastructure that operates on internal servers and is not reliant on external cloud services. This platform integrates various open add-on applications designed for collaborating on office documents, files, and task planning. Users also have access to add-ons for email, messaging, video conferencing, and chats within the same environment.
User authentication on Nextcloud Hub is flexible, allowing for local authentication or integration with LDAP, Active Directory, Kerberos, IMAP, and Shibboleth/SAML 2.0. Users can also utilize two-factor authentication, Single-sign-on (SSO), and QR code linking for account management. Version control features enable users to track changes in files, comments, sharing rules, and tags.
The main components of the Nextcloud Hub platform include:
- Files – for organizing storage, synchronization, sharing, and file exchange. Users can access files via the web or through client software on desktop and mobile devices. Advanced features include full-text search, attaching files to comments, selective access controls, password-protected download links, and integration with various external storage services like FTP, Google Drive, Dropbox, among others.
- WorkFlow – optimizes business processes by automating standard tasks such as document conversion to PDF, sending messages to chats when new files are uploaded to specific directories, and assigning tags automatically. Users