File conversion (converter)

filex can convert files between formats entirely in the browser — no server runs the conversion and the file is never uploaded to a third party. A Convert action (right‑click a file, or the selection toolbar) opens a format picker; you choose a target format; the bytes are converted client‑side and the result is written back into the current folder.

It is an optional integration: filex embeds a self‑hosted build of p2r3/convert (an in‑browser WASM converter) in a hidden iframe. When it isn't configured, the Convert action simply doesn't appear.

Enable it
How it works
Notes & limits
License

Enable it

Two steps: run the converter service, then point filex at it.

filex loads the converter from FILEX_CONVERT_URL in an iframe, so that URL must be reachable from the browser. The simplest layout serves it under /convert on the same host as filex.

The converter image is ghcr.io/brf-tech/converter-filex — a small fork of p2r3/convert that adds the embed bridge filex drives. It's a static site behind nginx on port 80.

Docker Compose

The full stack already bundles it — turn on the convert profile and set the URL in your .env:

dotenv

COMPOSE_PROFILES=convert          # plus any other add-ons you run
FILEX_CONVERT_URL=https://files.example.com/convert

The bundled Caddy already routes /convert/* to the converter container. See deploy/compose/.

Standalone / any reverse proxy

Run the container and route a /convert subpath to it:

bash

docker run -d --name converter --restart unless-stopped \
  -p 127.0.0.1:8080:80 ghcr.io/brf-tech/converter-filex:latest

Then in your reverse proxy send /convert/* to it and everything else to filex (Caddy example):

caddy

files.example.com {
    @conv path /convert /convert/*
    handle @conv { reverse_proxy 127.0.0.1:8080 }
    handle       { reverse_proxy 127.0.0.1:5212 }
}

and set FILEX_CONVERT_URL=https://files.example.com/convert. (The converter is served with a /convert base path, so no URL rewrite is needed.)

Helm

yaml

convert:
  enabled: true
  url: https://files.example.com/convert

Run the converter-filex image as its own Deployment + Service and route the /convert path to it through your Ingress.

How it works

filex (Vue)  ──hidden iframe──►  <FILEX_CONVERT_URL>/?embed=1   (converter-filex)
     │  postMessage: listFormats / convert
     │  ◄──────────── ready / formats / converted bytes
     ├─ reads the source file's bytes → iframe
     └─ writes the converted bytes back into the current folder

Everything runs client‑side (WASM) inside the iframe. filex never sends the file anywhere for conversion.
The GPL‑2.0 converter stays a separate service, embedded only via an iframe — so filex itself stays MIT‑licensed and its code never links the converter.
filex advertises the feature through its capabilities probe: the Convert action appears only when FILEX_CONVERT_URL is set and reachable.

Notes & limits

The first conversion for a given format is slower — that format's WASM tool loads once per browser session; subsequent conversions are fast.
Conversion happens in the browser tab's memory, so very large files can be slow or memory‑heavy. Great for documents and images; not for multi‑GB media.
Available formats come from the converter build's precached format list; exotic formats a build doesn't include won't show in the picker.

License

The converter is GPL‑2.0 (inherited from p2r3/convert). filex embeds it as a separate, iframe‑isolated service and never links its code, so filex stays MIT‑licensed. Fork + build details: github.com/BRF-Tech/converter-filex.

File conversion (converter) ​

Enable it ​

Docker Compose ​

Standalone / any reverse proxy ​

Helm ​

How it works ​

Notes & limits ​

License ​

See also ​