The Focused, Open-Source Alternative to RustFS
RustFS is a fast, Apache 2.0-licensed object store - but it has grown into a full platform spanning S3, OpenStack Swift, Keystone auth, and KMS. Alarik takes the opposite approach: a focused, Swift-native S3 store built by a team that depends on it in production. Same open license, far less surface area.
Why Alarik?
A Focused Alternative to RustFS
RustFS is a capable, fast, Apache 2.0 object store. Alarik exists for teams who want the same openness and performance without the multi-protocol feature surface - one clear job, done well.
Built for Simplicity
RustFS has grown into a full platform spanning S3, the OpenStack Swift storage protocol, Keystone auth, multi-tenancy, and KMS. Alarik focuses on one protocol: S3. Fewer moving parts, smaller surface area, easier to operate.
Open Source From Day One
RustFS started as a commercial product in December 2023 and was open-sourced in mid-2025. Alarik has been community-driven and Apache 2.0 licensed since its very first commit - no transition, no asterisks.
Dogfooded in Production
We build belegFuchs, a production accounting platform currently running on MinIO, and we're migrating it to Alarik ourselves. Our own infrastructure depends on Alarik staying fast and actively maintained.
Swift-Native Performance
Built with Swift and SwiftNIO for low-latency I/O and highly parallel request handling. Internal benchmarks already show throughput competitive with, and in many cases exceeding, both MinIO and RustFS - even in alpha.
Lightweight Two-Container Stack
Deploy the API and web console with a single docker-compose file. No Helm charts, no KMS setup, no multi-tenancy configuration required just to get started.
True Open Source Freedom
Apache 2.0 with a single codebase and no separate enterprise edition. Use, modify, and distribute Alarik without restrictions or a future licensing surprise.
Performance
Built for Speed
Alarik is built with Swift and SwiftNIO for low-latency I/O and highly parallel request handling. Internal benchmarks already show throughput competitive with, and in many cases exceeding, both MinIO and RustFS - even in alpha.
Low-Latency I/O
Optimized storage engine designed for minimal latency, especially important for small object workloads common in web applications.
Highly Parallel Request Handling
Built on Swift's modern async/await concurrency model and SwiftNIO for efficient handling of thousands of concurrent connections.
Memory Safe Architecture
Swift's memory safety guarantees mean no buffer overflows, no use-after-free bugs, and predictable performance under load.
No Tracing Garbage Collector
Swift uses automatic reference counting instead of a tracing garbage collector, avoiding unpredictable GC pause spikes under load.
Comparison
Alarik vs RustFS: Side by Side
Both are Apache 2.0 licensed and actively developed. Here's where they genuinely differ.
| Feature | Alarik | RustFS |
|---|---|---|
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| Project Origin | Open-source & community-driven from day one | Commercial product, open-sourced in 2025 |
| Protocol Surface | Focused: S3-compatible only | Multi-protocol: S3 + OpenStack Swift API + Keystone |
| Deployment Complexity | Two containers, one docker-compose file | Full platform: KMS, multi-tenancy, replication, lifecycle engine |
| Production Commitment | Dogfooded in our own production stack | Maintained by a commercial company |
| Small Object Performance | Competitive to superior vs RustFS (4KB objects) | Baseline |
| Web Console | Built-in modern UI | Built-in UI with enterprise SSO setup |
Easy Migration
Migrate from RustFS in Minutes
Both Alarik and RustFS speak the S3 protocol, so switching is just a matter of changing your endpoint URL. Your existing S3 code, SDKs, and tools work without any modifications. AWS SDK, s3cmd, rclone - everything just works.
migration.sh
Use Cases
Perfect For Any S3 Workload
Whether you're building a new application or evaluating object storage options, Alarik handles your S3 needs with a small, auditable codebase.
Self-Hosted Cloud Storage
Replace expensive cloud storage with your own S3-compatible infrastructure. Full control over your data, no vendor lock-in.
Application Backend Storage
Store user uploads, media files, and application data with a reliable, high-performance object store with a minimal footprint.
Backup & Archive
Cost-effective long-term storage for backups, logs, and archived data with S3-compatible tooling you already know.
Development & Testing
Local S3-compatible storage for development environments. Test your S3 integrations without cloud costs or network latency.
Want Less Complexity, Not More?
If you need every protocol and enterprise integration under the sun, RustFS is a solid choice. If you want a focused, fast, Apache 2.0 S3 store that does one thing well, give Alarik a try.