Self-hosted web service for file search

Question

I am looking for a nicer way to search files on the local file system via a web service. This service has to be self-hosted.

I imagine it to look similar to Google: A very simple user interface. When the user starts typing, it is already searching.

Hard requirements:

• Free as in beer
• Free as in speech
• Plugin-system or otherwise easily expandable
• Tags: The user should be able to add tags to files
• Automatically detects new files and adds them to the index
• My data doesn't go to somebody else

Soft requirements:

• Python plugins
• Good documentation
• Extracts text from PDF documents
• Allow the user to create filters (to automatically add tags)

Answer 1

Have you tried TagSpaces? I think it meets at least all of your hard requirements:

• free and open source, although you can opt to buy a Pro version with more features, if you choose to,
• has some extensions,
• allows you to tag your files,
• "Automatically detects new files and adds them to the index" - I think it is a check,
• your data stays with you:

  The app is running completely offline, all your data is stored locally and is never sent to the network.

• has some decent documentation,
• allows you to self-host.

It is not 100% perfect, but maybe still worth a look.