Kext-less FUSE for macOS

Build user-space filesystems on macOS.

Fuse-T is a macOS library and runtime for FUSE filesystem projects that need a practical, distributable userspace implementation without a kernel extension.

Homebrew

brew install macos-fuse-t/homebrew-cask/fuse-t

Direct download

Latest signed macOS installer package from GitHub releases.

Latest release: 1.2.0 Docs / FAQ on GitHub

01

Overview

Fuse-T is a kext-less implementation of FUSE for macOS. It is intended for developers and filesystem projects that need to build, package, and ship user-space filesystems on current macOS systems.

Instead of depending on a kernel extension, Fuse-T runs in userspace and integrates with the macOS mount flow through a local server architecture. The result is a practical foundation for filesystem software that needs modern macOS compatibility and a cleaner installation story.

02

Supported Features

Fuse-T is designed for real filesystem software, not just demos. It provides the core runtime pieces needed to build and ship user-space filesystem projects on macOS with a workflow that is closer to the platform's current expectations.

  • Kext-less design with no kernel extension required.
  • Three supported backends: NFS, SMB, and native FSKit on macOS 26 and later.
  • Support for extended attributes, file locks, and other macOS-relevant filesystem behavior.
  • Stable mount and unmount flow using built-in macOS tools.
  • Good performance for real filesystem workloads on macOS.
  • Works with existing FUSE filesystems without invasive API changes.
  • Can be embedded within an existing app bundle to be published in the App Store.
  • Supports older libfuse2-based projects as well as upstream libfuse3.

03

Licensing

Free for personal use.

Commercial license available for embedding and shipping Fuse-T in a product.

04

Related Software

SSHFS SSH/SFTP-based filesystem client available in the Fuse-T project ecosystem.
rclone Cloud storage sync and mount tool that fits well into macOS filesystem workflows.
Cryptomator Encryption software for local and cloud-backed storage workflows.

05

Project Links

macos-fuse-t/fuse-t Main Fuse-T repository, releases, documentation, and issue tracking.
macos-fuse-t/libfuse macOS-focused libfuse work used by the project.
macos-fuse-t/libfuse3 Upstream libfuse3 work used by the project.

06

Contact

Alex Fishman

alex@fuse-t.org