Temporary File Uploader.

Description

Temporary File Uploader is a lightweight web-based platform for quick, disposable file sharing. Users upload a file, receive a shareable download link, and the file is automatically removed once its expiration period passes.

The project prioritizes speed, simplicity, and a clean responsive interface, making it well suited to quick sharing, testing environments, and short-lived storage.

Background

Sharing a file quickly often means signing up for a heavier cloud service or leaving files online indefinitely. This project addresses that gap with a no-friction uploader where files expire on their own, keeping storage tidy by default.

Goal

• Let users upload and share files with minimal steps.
• Generate shareable download links automatically.
• Expire and delete files after a set period without manual cleanup.

Features

• Temporary file upload with shareable download links
• Automatic file expiration and auto-delete of expired files
• Drag and drop plus multiple file upload support
• File size validation and upload progress indicator
• Responsive, clean UI design
• Fast, lightweight upload workflow

Technologies

• PHP — server-side upload handling, link generation, and expiration logic.
• JavaScript — client-side upload UX, drag-and-drop, and progress feedback.
• CSS — responsive styling and layout.

How to Run

# 1. Clone the project into your web root
# 2. Configure storage path and database/.env settings if used
# 3. Ensure the upload directory is writable by the web server
php -S localhost:8000        # or serve via Apache/Nginx
# 4. Open http://localhost:8000 in your browser

Technical Decisions

• Used plain PHP for the backend to keep the tool lightweight and easy to deploy on any standard host.
• Implemented automatic expiration so storage self-cleans, avoiding manual maintenance.
• Handled the upload experience in vanilla JavaScript (drag-and-drop, progress) to avoid heavy frontend dependencies.

What I Learned

• Secure handling of file uploads and validation on the server side.
• Designing an expiration/cleanup mechanism for temporary storage.
• Building a responsive upload UX without a frontend framework.

Notes

Intended for temporary, non-critical files. A scheduled task (cron) is recommended to reliably purge expired uploads. Future ideas include password-protected links and configurable expiry windows.