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fal provides persistent file storage at /data that is shared across all your runners and applications. Use it to store model weights, datasets, and any files your apps need.

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Using /data in Your App

The /data directory is automatically mounted on every runner. Files you write there persist between requests and across deployments. 
import fal

class MyModel(fal.App):
    machine_type = "GPU-A100"

    def setup(self):
        import torch
        model_path = "/data/models/my-model.pt"

        if os.path.exists(model_path):
            self.model = torch.load(model_path)
        else:
            self.model = download_and_save(model_path)
/data is an eventually-consistent distributed filesystem. When writing files, use atomic operations (write to a temp file, then move) to avoid race conditions if multiple runners write simultaneously.

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Uploading Files

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Dashboard

Navigate to Dashboard > Files to manage your files visually:
  • Drag and drop files to upload
  • Upload from URL to pull files from external sources
  • Organize files in folders
  • Download, copy paths, or delete files

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SDK

Upload files programmatically from your code: 
from fal.toolkit import File

# Upload from local file
file = File.from_path("path/to/file.bin")
print(file.url)

# Upload from bytes
file = File.from_bytes(data, "output.png", content_type="image/png")
print(file.url)

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CLI

Upload and manage files using the fal CLI: 
# List files
fal files list

# List files in a directory
fal files list models/

# Upload a file
fal files upload local-file.bin remote-path/file.bin

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REST API

For direct integration, use the Platform APIs:
  • POST /serverless/files/file/local/{target_path} — Upload a file directly
  • POST /serverless/files/file/url/{file} — Upload from a URL
  • GET /serverless/files/list — List files
  • GET /serverless/files/file/{file} — Download a file

Platform API Reference

See the full file management API specification

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Storage Details

PropertyValue
Mount path/data on all runners
Shared acrossAll apps and runners in your account
ConsistencyEventually consistent
Max file sizeUp to 50 GB (resumable upload), ~1 TB (multipart)
PersistenceFiles persist until you delete them

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CDN File Uploads

When your app generates output files (images, videos, audio), they’re uploaded to fal’s CDN and returned as URLs. These are separate from /data storage — see Media Expiration to control how long CDN files are retained.