User Manual

Quick Start#

New to Cloudverest? Go from zero to collaborating with your team in four steps.

Download the desktop app (optional, recommended)

The web app is fully featured. The Windows desktop app adds offline workspace sync, a system tray icon, native drag-and-drop, and auto-updates. Download it from the Download page.

Overview & Concepts#

Cloudverest is a cloud-based collaborative file management and version control platform. Think of it as a Git workflow adapted for all file types — videos, images, 3D models, design files, documents, and source code — not just text.

Core concepts

Role permissions

Every user has a role that controls what they can do. Roles can be set globally or overridden per project.

Getting Started#

Login page

Navigate to app.cloudverest.com. Two authentication methods are available:

• Email & Password — enter your email and password, click Sign In.
• Magic Link — enter your email only, click Send Magic Link. A one-click sign-in link arrives in your inbox — no password required.

Register page

Click Create Account on the login screen. Fill in your name, email, and a password, then click Register. New accounts receive the editor role by default; an admin can change it at any time.

Invitation accept page

When a team member invites you, you receive a unique invite link by email. Clicking it opens the Invitation Accept page. Sign in or register — after accepting you are automatically added to the project with the assigned role.

Special login pages

Download page

The /download page hosts the latest Cloudverest desktop app installer for Windows. The desktop app adds the full offline workspace sync workflow, a system tray icon, native drag-and-drop, and automatic updates.

Main Layout#

Once signed in you see the AppShell — the main container divided into four zones. The diagram below is an accurate mockup of the real interface.

Toolbar buttons

Sidebar

• Project switcher — Click the project name at the top to see all your projects. Click any to switch.
• Star / Primary project — Star a project so it loads by default on every sign-in.
• Clone / Pull / Repoint (desktop only) — Clone the project to a local folder, pull all files, or relink the workspace to a different directory.
• Folder tree — Expand folders with the arrow; click to navigate. Drag files onto a folder to move them.
• Favorites — Files you have starred appear here for instant access.
• Recent files — The last files you opened or uploaded.
• Local file tree (desktop only) — A second tree showing your workspace on disk, alongside the cloud view.
• Sync badges — Numeric badges show how many files are pushable or pullable at a glance.
• User section (bottom) — Your avatar, display name, and online indicator. Click for Settings or Sign Out.
• Update indicator — A badge appears here when a new desktop app version is available.

Breadcrumbs

Above the file list, breadcrumbs show the full path from the project root to the current folder. Click any segment to jump up the tree. Drag a file onto a breadcrumb segment to move it to that folder instantly.

File Explorer#

View modes

Details view columns

File status indicators

Right-click context menu

Uploading Files#

Cloudverest processes up to 4 uploads concurrently. Additional files queue automatically and start as slots free up.

Upload methods

• Upload Files button — Opens a file picker. Select one or more files and click Open.
• Drag and drop — Drag files or folders from Windows Explorer directly onto the file list.
• Import Folder — Recursively uploads a local directory, recreating its folder structure on the server.
• Push from workspace — Save a file in your local workspace, then use Push in the Modified Files panel or toolbar.
• CLI — cloudverest upload <file> from any terminal.

Upload progress panel

• Progress bar — Shows percentage, current speed (MB/s), and estimated time remaining.
• Pause — Suspends the upload; click Resume to continue from where it left off.
• Resume — Continues a paused upload.
• Cancel — Removes the file from the queue. Partially uploaded data is discarded.

Versioning on upload

Uploading a file whose name matches an existing file in the same folder creates a new version — it does not replace the file. The version counter increments and the old version is preserved in Version History.

Downloading Files#

Single file

Right-click any file → Download. In the desktop app a native save dialog lets you choose the destination; in the browser the file goes to your default downloads folder.

Batch ZIP download

Select multiple files or a whole folder, right-click → Download as ZIP. The server packages the selected items and streams the ZIP to your client.

Download to Workspace

Right-click → Download to Workspace. The file is saved directly to the matching path in your local workspace and registered as synced at the current version, so it will not appear as "new" in the sync panel.

Download progress panel

• Concurrency slider — 1 to 8 parallel download connections. Higher values are faster but use more bandwidth.
• Per-file progress bars — Individual progress for each active download.
• Cancel All — Stops all active and queued downloads immediately.

File Preview#

Click any file to open it in the Preview panel. No external software required — the panel renders a native preview based on file type.

Supported formats

Preview panel controls

• Previous / Next — Navigate to the adjacent file in the current folder.
• Fullscreen — Opens the file in a fullscreen overlay for a larger view.
• Download — Downloads the currently previewed file.
• Share — Opens the Share Link dialog for this file.
• Comments — Opens the threaded comment panel.
• Version History — Jumps to the Version History panel.

Version History#

Every upload creates a new version. The panel below accurately reflects the Version History panel in the application.

Opening the panel

Right-click a file → View Versions, or click the clock icon in the Preview panel toolbar.

Panel features

• Version list — Newest first. Each entry shows version number, uploader name, timestamp, file size, and any label.
• CURRENT badge — The active version is highlighted and marked with a CURRENT badge.
• Add / edit label — Click the label field to type a short description (e.g. “Client-approved final”). Press Enter to save.
• Restore — Click Restore on any past version to promote it to the current version. This creates a new version entry at the top — the full history is never deleted by restoring.
• Set as Primary — In branch workflows, marks this version as the canonical version for the active branch.
• Compare Versions — Select two versions to open a diff view (text: line diff; images: slider comparison).
• Delete Past Version — Permanently removes an old version snapshot to reclaim storage. Requires manager or above.

Trash & Recovery#

Deleting a file or folder moves it to the Trash. Items are automatically purged after 30 days.

Opening the Trash

Click the Trash button in the toolbar.

Trash panel

• File list — Sortable table: name, original path, type, size, and deletion date.
• Type filter — Dropdown to narrow by file type.
• Restore — Returns an item to its original folder (recreated if also deleted).
• Batch restore — Select multiple items and click Restore Selected.
• Permanent Delete — Immediately and irreversibly removes an item. Requires admin.
• Empty Trash — Permanently deletes all trashed items. Requires admin. A confirmation dialog is shown first.
• Storage total — The panel header shows total space used by trashed items.

Audit Log#

The Audit Log records every action on the project — uploads, downloads, renames, moves, deletes, logins, approvals, and more.

Opening the log

Click Audit Log in the toolbar. Right-click a specific file → View Audit Log to pre-filter to that file.

Log features

• Event list — 50 entries per page. Columns: timestamp, user, action type, affected file/path, details.
• Filter by action type — Create · Upload · Download · Rename · Move · Delete · Restore · Login · Share · Lock · Unlock · Approve · Reject · Comment.
• Filter by user — Dropdown of all project members.
• Search — Type a filename or path fragment to filter events.
• Sort columns — Click any column header to sort.
• Batch grouping — Multi-file operations are grouped and can be expanded to see each file individually.
• Persistent details — Context is stored with each event (e.g. “Renamed old.psd → new.psd”) so the log is meaningful even after files are deleted.

Comments#

Each file supports threaded, per-file discussions visible to all project members with at least Viewer access.

• Open — Right-click a file → Comments, or click the comment icon in the Preview panel toolbar.
• Post a comment — Type in the input field and press Enter or click Send.
• Reply — Click Reply under any comment to respond in-thread.
• @mentions — Type @ to send a notification to a specific team member.
• Edit / Delete — You can edit or delete your own comments. Admins can delete any comment.
• Resolve thread — Mark a thread as resolved to collapse it. Can be reopened if needed.

Share Links#

Share Links give people outside the project access to download a specific file or folder — no login required.

• Create — Right-click a file or folder → Share. Click Generate Link then Copy.
• Password protection — Toggle on and set a password. Recipients must enter it before downloading.
• Expiry date — Set a date after which the link automatically deactivates.
• Revoke — Immediately invalidates the current link. A new one must be generated if needed again.

File Locking#

Advisory locking signals to teammates that you are actively editing a file. It does not technically block uploads, but the visible indicator prevents most accidental conflicts.

• Lock — Right-click → Lock. A lock indicator appears in the file list, visible to all team members.
• Duration — Locks expire automatically after 30 minutes.
• Renew — Lock the same file again before expiry to reset the timer.
• Unlock — Right-click → Unlock to release your lock early.
• Admin unlock — admin can unlock files held by any user.
• Device shown — The lock tooltip shows the device name from which the lock was placed.

Workspace & Desktop Sync#

A workspace is a local folder linked to a project. Work on files with any software, then push/pull changes — like Git for all file types.

Cloning a project

In the sidebar, click Clone next to the project name. Choose an empty local directory. Cloudverest creates a workspace config and downloads the current file tree.

File sync states

Modified Files panel tabs

Bulk actions

• Sync All — Pushes all modified/new files and pulls all pullable files in one operation.
• Revert All — Discards every local change and restores all files to the last synced state.
• Upload New Files — Pushes only files in the New Files tab.
• Ignore All New — Adds all untracked new files to the local ignore list.

Local ignore rules

A .cloudverest ignore file at the project root (similar to .gitignore) excludes files from sync tracking. Edit it via right-click → Manage Local Ignore Rules. Example patterns: *.tmp, *.log, node_modules/**.

Branching & Merging#

Branches let you work on experimental changes without affecting the shared main branch. Each branch has its own independent file tree and version history.

Creating a branch

Open the Branch selector dropdown in the toolbar → Create New Branch. Enter a name (e.g. v2-redesign) and choose a source branch (defaults to main).

Switching branches

Click the Branch selector → click any branch name. The file list updates immediately to show that branch's files and versions.

Branch management dialog

• Set Default — Makes a branch the project's default landing branch for new members.
• Archive — Hides the branch from the selector without losing history. Can be unarchived.
• Delete — Permanently removes the branch. Requires manager.
• Access controls — Restrict which teams can push to a given branch.

Merging

• Source branch — The branch whose changes are applied (defaults to the current branch).
• Target branch — The branch to merge into (defaults to main).
• Conflict preview — Lists all files that differ between branches before the merge begins.
• Complete Merge — Applies the changes after all conflicts are resolved.

Pull requests

For teams requiring a formal review before merging, open the PR Panel from the toolbar to create a PR, invite reviewers, add comments, request changes, and approve or close.

Conflict Resolution#

A conflict occurs when two users have both modified the same file since it was last synced. Cloudverest detects conflicts when you push and the server already has a newer version.

Binary file conflicts

• Overwrite — Your local version replaces the server version. The remote version stays in Version History.
• Save as Copy — Your local version is uploaded as a separate new file, preserving both independently.
• Cancel — Aborts the push. Pull the server version first, then retry.

Text / code file conflicts

• Side-by-side diff — Your version on the left, server version on the right, conflicts highlighted.
• Keep Local — Accept your version for this conflict region.
• Keep Remote — Accept the server version for this region.
• Keep Both — Appends both versions sequentially.
• Manual edit — Edit the merged result directly in the conflict editor.

Conflict workspace

When a sync or merge produces multiple conflicted files, all are gathered into a single Conflict Workspace session. Resolve them one by one, then click Complete Sync.

Review & Approvals#

The Review system lets team members annotate files visually and formalise an approval workflow for creative sign-off, QA, or compliance.

Opening the review viewer

Right-click a file → Review, or click the Review icon in the Preview panel toolbar.

Annotation tools

• Draw — Freehand drawing to mark up images and documents.
• Highlight — Semi-transparent coloured marker for calling out regions.
• Color picker — Change the active annotation colour.
• Brush size — Adjust the stroke width.
• Eraser — Remove specific drawn annotations.
• Undo / Redo — Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y.

Video annotations

• Timeline — Scrub to any point in the video.
• Timestamp comment — Click the timeline while paused to drop a marker and attach a text comment at that exact frame.

Approval workflow

• Request Approval — Editors flag a file version for review. The manager is notified.
• Approval Queue — Accessible from the toolbar (manager+). Lists all pending versions.
• Approve — Creates an audit log entry and notifies the submitter.
• Reject — Manager enters an optional reason. The submitter receives feedback and can upload a revised version.

Settings#

Accessible from the Settings button in the toolbar or the user section at the bottom of the sidebar.

Admin Panel#

Accessible to admin and manager from the toolbar. Five tabs for managing the entire instance.

Keyboard Shortcuts#

Press ? anywhere in the app to open the full in-app shortcuts reference overlay.

CLI & VS Code Extension#

For developers who prefer the terminal or IDE. Both tools share the same credential store — authenticating once authenticates both.

CLI authentication

On first run, the CLI opens a browser window to /cli-login. Sign in and the token transfers automatically. On headless servers, navigate to /token in a browser, copy the token, and paste it when the CLI prompts.

CLI commands

VS Code extension

Install from the VS Code marketplace. On first use it opens the browser login at /vscode-login. After authenticating, a Cloudverest panel appears in the Activity Bar with:

• Project file tree — with sync status icons next to each file.
• Modified / pullable / locked badges — same indicators as the desktop app.
• Push / Pull from context menu — right-click any file to push or pull it individually.
• Diff viewer — compare local changes against the server version inline in VS Code.
• Branch selector — switch branches without leaving the editor.