Librephotos is an open-source, self-hosted photo management solution designed to help individuals and organizations organize, archive, and share their photo libraries securely. Unlike proprietary cloud-based photo apps, Librephotos offers full control over your data, ensuring privacy and the ability to customize the app to fit your specific needs. This guide will take you through installing, configuring, securing, and managing Librephotos, ensuring a smooth deployment for developers and advanced users.
Installing Librephotos
📦 Docker/Docker Compose Setup
Docker is the recommended way to run Librephotos. Below is a docker-compose.yml file tailored to Librephotos, including settings for persistent storage and environment variables.
Create a docker-compose.yml file using the following content:
version: '3.4'
services:
librephotos-backend:
image: reallibrephotos/librephotos:latest
container_name: librephotos-backend
restart: unless-stopped
environment:
- SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key_here
- DB_BACKEND=postgresql
- DB_NAME=librephotos
- DB_USER=librephotos_user
- DB_PASSWORD=secure_password_here
- DB_HOST=librephotos-db
- TIMEZONE=UTC
ports:
- "8000:8000"
volumes:
- ./data:/data
- ./cache:/cache
librephotos-frontend:
image: reallibrephotos/librephotos-frontend:latest
container_name: librephotos-frontend
restart: unless-stopped
ports:
- "3000:80"
librephotos-db:
image: postgres:13
container_name: librephotos-db
restart: unless-stopped
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: librephotos_user
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: secure_password_here
POSTGRES_DB: librephotos
volumes:
- ./db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
Run the following commands to deploy the application:
cd /path/to/librephotos
## Start the services
docker-compose up -d
Verify that the backend is accessible on http://<your_server_ip>:8000 and the frontend on http://<your_server_ip>:3000.
🚀 Manual Installation
For advanced users, a manual installation allows greater customization. Below are the steps for setting up Librephotos on a Linux server:
- Install Dependencies:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y python3 python3-pip git postgresql redis
- Clone the Repository and Install the Backend:
git clone https://github.com/LibrePhotos/librephotos.git
cd librephotos
pip3 install -r requirements.txt
python3 manage.py migrate
python3 manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000
- Set Up the Frontend:
## Navigate to the frontend directory
cd frontend
npm install
npm run build
npm start
Adjust the commands to fit your server environment and network configuration.
Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy
🌐 Nginx Configuration
Nginx can serve as a reverse proxy for routing traffic to Librephotos. Create a new configuration file for Librephotos:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/librephotos
Add the following content:
server {
listen 80;
server_name your_domain_or_ip;
location / {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8000;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
}
}
Enable the configuration and restart Nginx:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/librephotos /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl restart nginx
🔒 SSL/TLS Setup
To secure the app, use Let's Encrypt:
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d your_domain_or_ip
Enable automatic renewal:
sudo crontab -e
## Add the following line
0 0 * * * certbot renew --quiet
Logging and Debugging Librephotos
🗃️ Enabling Debug Logs
To enable debug-level logging, edit the settings.py file in Librephotos:
nano settings.py
Set the logging level to debug:
LOGGING = {
'version': 1,
'handlers': {
'console': {
'class': 'logging.StreamHandler',
},
},
'root': {
'handlers': ['console'],
'level': 'DEBUG',
},
}
Restart the application to apply changes.
📄 Viewing Logs
For Docker deployments, view logs with:
docker logs librephotos-backend
For manual installations:
tail -f /var/log/librephotos.log
🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues
Check common errors such as database connection issues (DB_HOST misconfiguration) or missing environment variables. Use logs to pinpoint and resolve problems.
Backup and Restore
🗂️ File-Based Backups
Backup the application data directory:
tar -czvf librephotos-data-backup.tar.gz /path/to/librephotos/data
🔄 Database Backups
Export the PostgreSQL database:
pg_dump -U librephotos_user -h localhost librephotos > librephotos_db_backup.sql
Restore the database:
psql -U librephotos_user -h localhost librephotos < librephotos_db_backup.sql
📅 Automated Backup Scripts
Create a cron job to automate backups:
crontab -e
## Add the following line (runs daily at midnight)
0 0 * * * tar -czvf /path/to/backup_$(date +\%F).tar.gz /path/to/librephotos/data
Updating and Upgrading Librephotos
⬆️ Updating Docker Images
To update Librephotos with Docker:
docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d
🛠️ Manual Updates
For a manual installation, pull the latest source code and re-run migrations:
cd /path/to/librephotos
git pull
python3 manage.py migrate
🔍 Checking for Updates
Regularly check Librephotos’s GitHub repository for new releases or changelogs.
Leveraging Librephotos’s Unique Features
🔧 Enabling APIs
Librephotos provides an API for advanced integrations. Enable the API in your backend settings and use a tool like curl to test endpoints:
curl -X GET http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/photos -H "Authorization: Token your_api_token"
🌟 Advanced Configurations
Customize photo categorization, face recognition, or third-party integrations by editing Librephotos configuration files in the backend directory. Consult the official documentation for available options.
Wrapping Up
Librephotos empowers you to take full control of your photo library while ensuring data privacy and scalability. By following this guide, you’ve learned how to deploy, configure, and manage Librephotos effectively. Start exploring its features and take your photo management to the next level!
