Self-Hosted Docker Registry on Your Own SFTP: Introducing Refity

I Made Ocy Darma Putra — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:35:31 +0000

If you want a private Docker registry but don't want to depend on a cloud registry or object storage, Refity might be what you need. It's a small, self-hosted registry that uses SFTP as the only backend for your images. Everything—blobs, manifests, metadata—lives on your SFTP server. No S3, no GCS, no vendor lock-in.

I built Refity for myself that already have SFTP (rent from Hetzner Storage Box) and want to reuse it for container images without adding another storage system.

Why SFTP?

You already have SFTP (e.g. Hetzner Storage Box, shared hosting, or your own server).
You want to avoid cloud object storage and its pricing/complexity.
You need something that works in locked-down or legacy environments where only SSH/SFTP is allowed.
You prefer one place for backups and access control (your existing SFTP).

Refity doesn't replace your SFTP; it uses it as the only storage backend.

What Refity Does

Docker Registry API v2 — Standard docker push and docker pull; works with existing tools and CI.
SFTP-only storage — All layers and manifests are stored on your SFTP server; the app only coordinates and serves them.
Web UI — A React app to browse groups, repositories, and tags, create/delete repos, and copy docker pull commands.
Auth — JWT-based login; you can put the backend behind your own proxy/VPN for extra security.
One-command deploy — Backend + frontend with Docker Compose; optional env vars for production (JWT secret, CORS, SSH host verification).

So: a classic "registry in front of your own storage" with a simple UI and no new storage stack.

Quick Start

1. Clone and configure

git clone https://github.com/troke12/refity.git
cd refity
cp .env.example .env

Edit .env with your SFTP details and (for production) a JWT_SECRET:

FTP_HOST=your-sftp.example.com
FTP_PORT=22
FTP_USERNAME=sftpuser
FTP_PASSWORD=sftppass
JWT_SECRET=your-long-random-secret   # required in production

2. Run with Docker Compose

docker-compose up -d

3. Use it

Web UI: http://localhost:8080 (default login: admin / admin — change it right away).
Registry: http://localhost:5000

Push an image:

docker tag nginx localhost:5000/mygroup/nginx:latest
docker push localhost:5000/mygroup/nginx:latest

Pull:

docker pull localhost:5000/mygroup/nginx:latest

Groups and repositories are created from the UI (or you can align with how you organize folders on SFTP). No auto-creation of top-level paths; you keep control over structure and access.

Tech Stack

Backend: Go — Registry v2 + REST API, SQLite for metadata, JWT auth.
Frontend: React + Vite, served by nginx in Docker.
Images: troke12/refity-backend and troke12/refity-frontend on Docker Hub (tags: latest, v1.0.0).

Who It's For

Small teams or solo devs who want a private registry without cloud dependencies.
Environments where SFTP is the only or preferred storage (e.g. existing storage boxes or restricted networks).
Anyone who likes to self-host and keep image storage under their control.

DEV Community: I Made Ocy Darma Putra