Media
Self-host LibrePhotos on a VPS
A self-hosted photo management service.
An open-source photo library with face recognition, search and automatic tagging.
Why self-host LibrePhotos?
LibrePhotos is a fully open alternative to hosted photo services with strong search.
How to install LibrePhotos
- 1
Provision a VPS
Choose a plan with room for your data as well as the app.
- 2
Install the stack
Install Django + PostgreSQL + Redis.
- 3
Deploy the application
Follow the project’s official install guide for your distribution.
- 4
Enable HTTPS
Serve it on your own domain behind a reverse proxy with a certificate.
- 5
Back it up
Schedule a database dump plus a copy of any uploaded files to an off-box location.
Practical tips
- Give LibrePhotos its own database user with rights only on its own schema.
- Reverse-proxy LibrePhotos and terminate TLS at the proxy so certificates are managed in one place.
- Take a VPS snapshot before major upgrades so you can roll back cleanly.
- Keep LibrePhotos patched — most self-hosting incidents are unpatched software.
Frequently asked questions
- How much RAM does LibrePhotos need?
- Plan on 4 GB for typical use; add headroom if you expect many concurrent users.
- What stack does LibrePhotos run on?
- Django + PostgreSQL + Redis.
- Can I run other things on the same VPS?
- Yes — size the plan so LibrePhotos plus your other workloads fit in RAM with room to spare.
Looking for something else? Popular alternatives include Immich, PhotoPrism, Piwigo — browse all app guides.