what is it
file garden is a free file hosting service, its whole purpose is letting you upload a file and get a direct link to it that you can use anywhere else, on a website, in a document, in a chat, wherever a link is needed. it describes itself simply as a place to "host your files with decency."
you sign in with a google account to get your own personal storage space (called "your garden"), where you can upload, organize into folders, and manage your files.
what it's for
a few common uses for a site like this:
- hosting files that neocities itself doesn't allow or isn't well suited for, like large media files, audio, or certain file types.
- getting a direct link to an image or file so it can be embedded or linked from a page hosted elsewhere.
- sharing a file with someone without needing them to have any account of their own, since anyone can open a direct link, no login required on their end.
- keeping large assets out of your own site's file storage, since most static hosts (neocities included) have limits on total site size.
how to use it
- go to filegarden.com.
- click your garden and sign in with your google account, this creates your personal storage space the first time you log in.
- upload a file, either through the upload button or by dragging it into the page.
- once it's uploaded, click on the file to get its direct link, this is the url you'll paste elsewhere, like in an
<img>tag on your site. - optionally, organize files into folders to keep a growing collection tidy.
tip: a direct link to an uploaded image can be dropped straight into an
<img> tag, like <img src="your-link-here">, exactly the same as linking any other image on the web.things to keep in mind
- a google account is required to upload and manage files, there's no anonymous upload option.
- file garden's terms of service prohibit things like sexually explicit content involving minors, harassment, malware, piracy, and automated or programmatic uploads not manually initiated by a person, review them before uploading anything you're unsure about.
- the minimum age to use the service is 13, and if you're not old enough in your country to agree to terms on your own, a parent or guardian needs to do so on your behalf.
- according to their terms, they don't sell your content to third parties or use it for advertising, but you do grant them a license to store, distribute, and display it as needed to run the service (for example, showing your files to others when you share a link).
next step: once you've got a file hosted and a direct link copied, you can use it right away in your html, like inside the image examples from the basic html document structure tutorial.