# Nextcloud

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Nextcloud is often used as a privacy-preserving alternative to Google Drive, iCloud or
other commercial Cloud providers. Nextcloud is open-source software that can be
installed (hosted) by anyone on their own server. Solidarity-based technology
collectives sometimes operate their own “instances.” “Instances” are the individual
Nextcloud installations, e.g., those of different groups/associations/companies, etc.
Depending on the settings of the respective instance, the individual Nextcloud is
completely “self-sufficient,” meaning it has nothing to do with other instances.

Nextcloud can also be an attractive tool for political groups to organize their work
with shared passwords, calendars, documentation, pads, etc.

## Account management

Source: <https://wiki.systemli.org/howto/nextcloud/gruppen>

If you want to use the cloud as a group, the problem arises as to which user owns the
shared data (documents, calendars, deck boards, etc.). In most cases, we recommend the
use of teams for groups.

### Teams

- Each member of your group gets a **personal account**.
- In addition, you create a **group account** as an admin, which is managed by several
  people.
- Use the group account in the **Collectives app** _(if available)_ to create a
  collective for the group.
  - Add all personal accounts under `Manage members`.
  - If necessary, grant admin rights to individual accounts.
    - Next to “Teams,” click on the “+” and add a description.

> [!note] Technical detail: Why not in Contacts?
>
> You could also create the team under `Contacts`, but then the team would **belong** to
> you, which we want to avoid, as described below. If the Collectives app is not
> available, create a team under `Contacts`, but keep in mind the
> [problems with this](https://esc-it.o../instructions/nextcloud.html#admonition-achtung)

Now you have created a collective "team" _(with the group account)_. From now on, you
can share pretty much everything you do in Nextcloud with this team: files, calendars,
Kanban boards (Deck app), polls, etc.

However, there is one thing to keep in mind: `Ownership`. All files _(including
calendars, Kanban boards, etc)_ always belong to the account that created them! Even if
these **resources** _(technical term)_ are then shared with the entire team, they still
**belong** to the creator account.

> [!warning] Attention {static}
>
> If the creator account of a resource is suddenly deleted, all files belonging to that
> account will also be deleted!

> [!tip] Tip {static}
>
> It is therefore highly advisable to create all shared resources with the **group
> account** and share them with the team from there.

![ownership & sharing concept](https://esc-it.org/assets/articles/en/instructions/nextcloud/fileshare-concept.png)

The graphic above shows that the group account uploads a password database to its files
and then shares this file with the team. They can then access this file.

This makes it easy to add or remove people from your team/collective later on. You don't
have to share all resources again for each new person. You can also easily pass on the
administration of the admin account, and it's no problem if the original admins become
inactive.

Conversely, individual accounts can be removed from the team with a single click, so
that they no longer have access to group resources.

### Transfer ownership

If you ever lose access to the group account, you can transfer ownership of a file
created from your personal account to the group account. Nextcloud provides its
[own instructions for this](https://dereferrer.tem.li/?https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.nextcloud.com%2Fserver%2Flatest%2Fuser_manual%2Fen%2Ffiles%2Ftransfer_ownership.html).

- However, the transfer must always be confirmed by the group account _(to which
  ownership is being transferred)_ before it takes effect.
- Experience has shown that it can take a few minutes for the group account to receive
  the confirmation notification. You may therefore have to wait a little while.