v1.3.0 — Nextcloud 30–32

Install custom apps on Nextcloud.
No SSH required.

AppDrop lets you upload, validate and install custom Nextcloud app packages (.zip) directly from the web UI with drag & drop, pre-install health checks and automatic backups.

Download View on GitHub
AppDrop Upload Interface

Everything you need to manage custom apps

A complete toolkit for uploading, validating, installing, and managing custom Nextcloud apps — all from your browser.

Drag & Drop Upload

Upload one or multiple .zip app packages with drag & drop or the file picker. Queued files are processed sequentially for safe installation.

Pre-install Validation

20+ health checks analyze every zip before installing: structure, security (Zip Slip), version compatibility — with actionable fix hints for every issue found.

Automatic Backups

When updating an existing app, a timestamped backup is created automatically. Restore previous versions or delete old backups from the UI.

App Manager

List all installed custom apps with their version and status. Enable, disable or remove them with a single click — no command line needed.

App Skeleton Generator

Generate a ready-to-develop Nextcloud app template with proper structure, boilerplate code, routes, controller, and placeholder icon — download as .zip.

Upload History

Complete log of all uploads with status, timestamps, version info and which user performed the action. Paginated view for easy browsing.

Permission System

Admins control who can upload apps. Grant access to individual users or entire groups with an autocomplete search interface.

Dark & Light Theme

Fully styled with Nextcloud CSS variables for seamless integration with both dark and light themes. Responsive on mobile and desktop.

See it in action

Explore each section of AppDrop's interface.

AppDrop Screenshot

Drag & drop upload zone — drop .zip files to start validation

From .zip to running app in seconds

A streamlined installation flow that keeps your Nextcloud safe.

1

Upload

Drag your .zip app package onto the upload zone or click to browse. Multiple files can be queued.

2

Validate

An automatic health check runs 20+ validations: zip integrity, security scanning, version compatibility, structure analysis — showing a detailed checklist with fix hints.

3

Backup

If the app already exists, a timestamped backup is created automatically before the update proceeds.

4

Install

The zip is safely extracted to the apps directory. File permissions are set correctly (750 for dirs, 640 for files).

5

Enable

The app is automatically enabled (if configured) and appears in your Nextcloud instance. The upload is recorded in the history log.

Built with security in mind

Every upload goes through multiple layers of validation before anything touches your server.

Zip Slip protection — rejects path traversal and absolute paths

MIME type validation — only accepts valid zip archives

Configurable file size limits to prevent abuse

Self-update prevention — cannot overwrite AppDrop itself

Permission-based access control — only authorized users can upload

CSRF protection via Nextcloud request tokens

App ID format validation — prevents injection via malformed names

Safe XML parsing with error handling for info.xml

Granular permissions per section

Each section has its own access level to keep your instance secure.

SectionWho can accessWhat it does
UploadPermitted usersInstall or update custom apps from .zip packages
AppsAdmins onlyEnable, disable or remove installed custom apps
HistoryPermitted usersView past uploads with status
GeneratorPermitted usersDownload a Nextcloud app skeleton template
BackupsAdmins onlyRestore or delete backups from previous updates
PermissionsAdmins onlyGrant or revoke upload access to users and groups

Lightweight and compatible

No extra dependencies — just Nextcloud and PHP.

Nextcloud 30–32

Compatible with the latest stable releases

PHP 8.1+

Uses modern PHP features for security and performance

AGPL v3

Free and open source, forever

Get started in minutes

Two ways to install AppDrop on your Nextcloud instance.

App Store

  1. Open your Nextcloud instance
  2. Go to Apps
  3. Search for AppDrop
  4. Click Install

Manual Install

  1. Download from GitHub Releases
  2. Extract into custom_apps/
  3. Enable via Admin Settings or CLI:
php occ app:enable appdrop

Ready to simplify app management?

Install AppDrop and start uploading custom Nextcloud apps from your browser today.

Download Latest Release Star on GitHub