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serverpod-file-uploads

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File uploads in Serverpod — upload descriptions, verification, storage backends (database, S3, GCP). Use when implementing file uploads or cloud storage.

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Serverpod File Uploads

Flow: server issues upload description → client uploads → server verifies. Default storage is the database; use S3, GCP, R2, or compatible object storage for production.

Server: create upload description

Future<String?> getUploadDescription(Session session, String path) async {
  return await session.storage.createDirectFileUploadDescription(
    storageId: 'public',
    path: path,
  );
}

Always authorize the request and derive the path from trusted server-side state (user id, tenant id, object id). Do not accept arbitrary client paths.

Server: verify upload

Future<bool> verifyUpload(Session session, String path) async {
  return await session.storage.verifyDirectFileUpload(
    storageId: 'public', path: path);
}

Always verify after client upload when using object storage.

Client: upload

var desc = await client.myEndpoint.getUploadDescription('profile/$userId/avatar.png');
if (desc != null) {
  var uploader = FileUploader(desc);
  await uploader.upload(byteDataOrStream);
  await client.myEndpoint.verifyUpload('profile/$userId/avatar.png');
}

Use Stream for large files. Paths: no leading slash, object-store compatible, normalized, and scoped to the authenticated user/tenant.

Security checklist

  • Require authentication/authorization for both description and verification endpoints.
  • Validate or derive content type, size, and extension before issuing descriptions.
  • Never let clients choose cross-tenant paths or storage IDs.
  • Store metadata in your database after verifyDirectFileUpload succeeds.

Accessing stored files

  • session.storage.fileExists(storageId: 'public', path: path)
  • session.storage.getPublicUrl(storageId: 'public', path: path) (public storage only)
  • session.storage.retrieveFile(storageId: 'public', path: path)

Storage backends

  • Database (default): public and private storages. Fine for dev.
  • Google Cloud Storage: Add serverpod_cloud_storage_gcp, set HMAC keys in passwords.yaml or env. Register: pod.addCloudStorage(GoogleCloudStorage(...)).
  • AWS S3: Add serverpod_cloud_storage_s3, set AWS keys. Register: pod.addCloudStorage(S3CloudStorage(...)).
  • S3-compatible/R2: Use the matching integration package when targeting compatible providers.

Use storageId: 'public' or 'private' when replacing defaults.