Welcome to the Netatalk Homepage!
Netatalk is a Free and Open Source implementation of the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP). A macOS, Linux, BSD, or Solaris system running Netatalk can act as an AppleShare file server, providing file sharing services to multiple macOS, Classic Mac OS, and Apple II clients simultaneously.
Since 1990, Netatalk has been providing highly performant and versatile file sharing for Macs from UNIX-like hosts, providing seamless support for the intricate requirements of Macintosh networking, file systems, and operating system services.
Getting Started
So you want to get started with running your own Netatalk file server for your local network of Macs and Apple IIs? Well, you have come to the right place! For starters, the official (or an unofficial) package manager for your operating system may be distributing a ready-made binary netatalk package that you can install right away.
If you prefer a containerized installation, the Netatalk team distributes official Docker images on Docker Hub. These require Docker Engine to be installed.
Finally, if you need to build Netatalk from the source code, a C compiler (gcc or clang) and dependent libraries are required. Read more in the Netatalk manual or the OS specific guides in the wiki.
Once Netatalk is up and running, test that the AFP server responds on port 548 by running asip-status [server address]. If you get an "AFP reply" response, the Netatalk server is functioning properly! You will likely need to adjust the configurations to suit your setup. Netatalk has a dizzying amount of options which can be daunting initially. The Configuration chapter in the Netatalk manual is a good place to start.
Features
This table breaks down the major differences between Netatalk v3 and v2. This might assist you in deciding which version works best for your use case.
| Feature | Netatalk v3 | Netatalk v2 |
|---|---|---|
| Client Support | Mac OS 7.5 ~ Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, macOS | Apple II, Macintosh System 6 ~ Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, macOS |
| AFP Protocol Versions | 2.2, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 | 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 |
| AFP over TCP | Yes | Yes |
| AFP over AppleTalk | No | Yes |
| Macintosh Resource Forks | Extended Attributes, AppleDouble v2 | AppleDouble v2, AppleDouble v1 |
| Service Discovery | Mac OS X 10.2 and later (Zeroconf) | Any AppleShare client (AppleTalk), Mac OS X 10.1 (SLP), Mac OS X 10.2 and later (Zeroconf) |
| Time Machine Backups | Yes | Yes |
| Indexed Search | Mac OS X 10.4 or later (Spotlight) | Mac OS 8 to Mac OS X 10.3 (CatSearch) |
| Samba Interoperability | Yes | Partial |
| AppleTalk Printing | No | Yes: LocalTalk, lpd and CUPS |
| AppleTalk Time Server | No | Yes: Timelord compatible |
| Apple II Netbooting | No | Yes: //e and IIGS |
| Built-in AppleTalk Router | No | Yes |
| Administrative GUI | Webmin Module | Webmin Module |
Latest News
29th of June 2024
Netatalk 2.4.1 is available
The Netatalk development team is proud to announce the latest release of the Netatalk 2.4 release series. It includes a patch for security issues CVE-2024-38439, CVE-2024-38440, and CVE-2024-38441. All users of Netatalk 2.4 are encouraged to upgrade their systems to 2.4.1.
For a summary of news and a detailed list of changes see the Release Notes.
29th of June 2024
Netatalk 3.2.1 is available
The Netatalk development team is proud to announce the latest release of the Netatalk 3.2 release series. It includes a patch for security issues CVE-2024-38439, CVE-2024-38440, and CVE-2024-38441. Additionally, the Meson build system options have been completely reworked for ease of use. All users of Netatalk 3.2 are encouraged to upgrade their systems to 3.2.1.
For a summary of news and a detailed list of changes see the Release Notes.
29th of June 2024
Netatalk 3.1.19 is available
The Netatalk development team is proud to announce the latest release of the Netatalk 3.1 release series. It includes a patch for security issues CVE-2024-38439, CVE-2024-38440, and CVE-2024-38441. All users of Netatalk 3.1 are encouraged to upgrade their systems to 3.1.19.
For a summary of news and a detailed list of changes see the Release Notes.
For a list of older announcements, go to the News Archive.
Netatalk is licensed under the GNU General Public License 2.0.
If you are interested in contributing to the development process, or just want to peruse the code, please visit our GitHub project page.
