immich-app/immich - Detailed Review#

1. Overview & GitHub Stats#

• URL: https://github.com/immich-app/immich
• Stars: 74087

2. Project Description#

Immich is a high-performance, self-hosted photo and video management solution designed to provide a private alternative to cloud-based services like Google Photos. It offers secure backup, organization, and sharing capabilities while keeping full control of your media library on your own hardware.

3. What Software Does It Replace?#

Immich serves as a direct replacement for:

• Google Photos
• Apple iCloud Photos
• Amazon Photos
• Other proprietary cloud photo services

It also complements or replaces self-hosted alternatives like:

• Nextcloud Memories
• PhotoPrism
• Lychee

4. Core Functionality#

• Automatic Backup: Continuous photo/video upload from mobile devices
• Face Recognition: AI-powered facial recognition and grouping
• Object Detection: Smart search using machine learning
• Timeline View: Chronological organization of media
• Album Management: Create and share custom albums
• Metadata Preservation: Maintains EXIF data and original quality
• Multi-user Support: Family/shared account capabilities
• Web & Mobile Apps: Cross-platform accessibility

5. Pros and Cons#

Pros:

• Complete data ownership and privacy
• No subscription fees or storage limits
• Active development with frequent updates
• Excellent mobile app experience
• Strong community support
• Docker-based deployment simplifies setup

Cons:

• Requires technical knowledge for self-hosting
• Hardware requirements for AI features can be demanding
• No built-in off-site backup (must configure separately)
• Mobile app battery usage during continuous backup

6. Detailed Installation Guide (Self-host)#

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sudo apt update
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sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose
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sudo systemctl enable docker
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sudo systemctl start docker

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mkdir immich && cd immich

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wget -O docker-compose.yml https://github.com/immich-app/immich/releases/latest/download/docker-compose.yml

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cat > .env << EOF
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DB_HOSTNAME=immich_postgres
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DB_USERNAME=postgres
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DB_PASSWORD=postgres
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DB_DATABASE_NAME=immich
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REDIS_HOSTNAME=immich_redis
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UPLOAD_LOCATION=/usr/src/app/upload
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JWT_SECRET=$(openssl rand -base64 128)
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EOF

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mkdir -p upload
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sudo chown -R 1000:1000 upload

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docker-compose up -d

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sudo apt install nginx
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sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/immich

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server {
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    listen 80;
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    server_name your-domain.com;
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    location / {
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        proxy_pass http://localhost:2283;
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        proxy_set_header Host $host;
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        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
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    }
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}

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sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/immich /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
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sudo nginx -t
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sudo systemctl reload nginx

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sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
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sudo certbot --nginx -d your-domain.com