File Management with NextCloud

We’ll store all our notes, docs, data and other media files that aren’t research sources or citation data (remember, these are stored and managed by Zotero) in a cloud-based service called NextCloud. Think of NextCloud as an open-source equivalent to Dropbox, Google Drive or iCloud (it works basically in the same way). Our files will be stored in a shared file structure out there in the cloud, and each person will install the NextCloud app on their local computer in order to sync local copies of each file with those in the cloud. This keeps everything up to date and organized in a central location.

Installing NextCloud

Visit the “download for desktop” page on the NextCloud site then download and install the NextCloud app for your operating system.

You’ll receive instructions through Mattermost on how to sign up for Nextcloud and access the server.

Once you have this login information, you’ll also need to select/create a local folder on your computer where NextCloud will sync with the cloud. Make sure that this is an empty folder to start. Once you’ve completed the install, NextCloud will complete its first sync and you should be able to see and access the existing files on your computer.

Once you’ve installed NextCloud and are ready to start storing files, be sure to read the Files section of these docs to gain an understanding of the NextCloud directory structure and other important practices for file management and storage.