fix

.env

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # ===========================================
 
 # S3 Configuration (Server)
-S3_ENABLED=true
+S3_ENABLED=false
 S3_ENDPOINT=localhost:9000
 S3_ACCESS_KEY=minioadmin
 S3_SECRET_KEY=minioadmin
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ PORT=8080
 # Client Configuration
 # ===========================================
 CLIENT_ID=client1
-API_KEY=fcf730b6d95236ecd3c9fc2d92d7b6b2bb061514961aec041d6c7a7192f592e4
+# NOTE: Use the RAW API key here, not the hashed version!
+# The server stores the hash in clients.json, client sends raw key
+API_KEY=secret123
 SERVER_URL=http://localhost:8080
-LOCAL_DATASET=zfs/data
+LOCAL_DATASET=volume/test
 COMPRESS=true
 STORAGE_TYPE=s3

cmd/zfs-server/main.go

@@ -31,16 +31,20 @@ func main() {
 
 	localBackend := server.NewLocalBackend(cfg.BaseDataset)
 
-	// Create metadata directory if needed
+	// Create metadata directory if needed (only if path contains a directory)
-	dir := cfg.MetadataFile
+	if idx := len(cfg.MetadataFile) - 1; idx > 0 {
-	if idx := len(dir) - 1; idx > 0 {
+		dir := cfg.MetadataFile
+		foundSlash := false
 		for i := len(dir) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
 			if dir[i] == '/' {
 				dir = dir[:i]
+				foundSlash = true
 				break
 			}
 		}
-		os.MkdirAll(dir, 0755)
+		if foundSlash && dir != "" {
+			os.MkdirAll(dir, 0755)
+		}
 	}
 
 	srv := server.New(cfg.ConfigFile, cfg.MetadataFile, s3Backend, localBackend)

readme.md

@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ COMPRESS=true
 STORAGE_TYPE=s3
 ```
 
+> **Important**: The `API_KEY` in the client `.env` file must be the **raw (unhashed)** key. The server stores the SHA-256 hash in `clients.json`, and the client sends the raw key which the server then hashes for comparison. For example, if `clients.json` has `api_key: "fcf730b6d95236ecd3c9fc2d92d7b6b2bb061514961aec041d6c7a7192f592e4"` (hash of "secret123"), the client `.env` should have `API_KEY=secret123`.
+
 ### Restore Tool Configuration
 
 ```env
@@ -265,6 +267,63 @@ S3_BUCKET=zfs-snapshots
 S3_USE_SSL=false
 ```
 
+#### Setting Up MinIO Locally
+
+**Option A: Using Docker (Recommended)**
+
+```bash
+# Create a directory for MinIO data
+mkdir -p ~/minio-data
+
+# Run MinIO container
+docker run -d \
+  --name minio \
+  -p 9000:9000 \
+  -p 9001:9001 \
+  -v ~/minio-data:/data \
+  -e MINIO_ROOT_USER=minioadmin \
+  -e MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD=minioadmin \
+  minio/minio server /data --console-address ":9001"
+```
+
+**Option B: Using Binary**
+
+```bash
+# Download MinIO
+wget https://dl.min.io/server/minio/release/linux-amd64/minio
+chmod +x minio
+sudo mv minio /usr/local/bin/
+
+# Create data directory
+mkdir -p ~/minio-data
+
+# Start MinIO
+MINIO_ROOT_USER=minioadmin MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD=minioadmin \
+  minio server ~/minio-data --console-address ":9001"
+```
+
+**Create the Bucket**
+
+After starting MinIO, create the bucket using the MinIO Client (mc) or web console:
+
+```bash
+# Install MinIO Client (mc)
+wget https://dl.min.io/client/mc/release/linux-amd64/mc
+chmod +x mc
+sudo mv mc /usr/local/bin/
+
+# Configure alias to local MinIO
+mc alias set local http://localhost:9000 minioadmin minioadmin
+
+# Create bucket
+mc mb local/zfs
+
+# Verify bucket was created
+mc ls local
+```
+
+Alternatively, access the MinIO Web Console at http://localhost:9001 and create the bucket through the UI (login: `minioadmin` / `minioadmin`).
+
 ### Backblaze B2
 
 ```env