November 3, 2025
Cloud or clunk?
Why Nextcloud feels slow to use
Nextcloud fans roast the slowdowns: “Too bloated” and eyeing simpler apps
TLDR: A review says Nextcloud loads 15–20MB of code, making simple tasks lag. Commenters slam the bloat, tout single‑purpose tools and alternatives, argue whether a PWA would help, and some vow to build a lean rival—spotlighting a bigger features‑versus‑speed fight for self‑hosted users
Nextcloud’s all‑in‑one dream is catching heat after a blog post clocked it pulling in 15–20 MB of code just to load basic apps. The community reaction? Spicy. One user flat-out called it “too bloated,” swapping in single‑purpose tools like Radicale for calendar duties, while others praised Nextcloud’s great client apps and features (shoutout PhoneTrack) but admitted the lag is real. The vibe is love the idea, hate the wait.
The biggest drama is the do‑it‑all suite vs pick‑and‑mix showdown. Some say the mega bundle is why your to‑do list takes ages to appear. One commenter floated a PWA (installable web app) as a fix, but skeptics shot back that packaging the same heavy code won’t magically make it fast. Meanwhile, a frustrated dev threatened to build a featherweight rival, comparing the culture shift to sourcehut vs GitHub. Alternatives like bewcloud + Immich are getting name‑checked as the “fast and focused” route.
And the jokes? Chef’s kiss. “20 MB is three hundred and thirteen Commodores,” one user quipped, turning data bloat into retro‑nerd poetry. Underneath the memes, the message is clear: people love self‑hosting but want speed. If Nextcloud doesn’t slim down, the crowd may actually start packing
Key Points
- •Nextcloud downloads approximately 15–20 MB of JavaScript on a clean page load (about 4–5 MB compressed).
- •Large JavaScript payloads are executed on each visit, making the interface feel slow despite caching.
- •The `core-common.js` bundle is measured at 4.71 MB; `NotificationsApp.chunk.mjs` adds 1.06 MB.
- •App-specific payloads are substantial: Calendar ~5.94 MB; Files includes multiple scripts (e.g., EditorOutline 1.77 MB, previewUtils 1.17 MB, emoji-picker 0.9 MB).
- •Notes app assets are heavy (`notes-main.js` 4.36 MB; full view ~20.91 MB), causing noticeable delays even on mobile (e.g., iPhone 13 mini).