Lychee

Lychee is an open-source, self-hosted photo management system that allows users to upload, organize, and share images from a private server or personal web space. This software provides a way to maintain a digital photography library without relying on proprietary cloud services, ensuring that the user retains full ownership of their media files.

The software is deployed as a web application and can be hosted in several ways. The recommended method is via Docker, which utilizes a docker-compose configuration including a separate worker container to handle background jobs. Users can also opt for pre-built releases available on GitHub or install the system directly from source, which requires PHP 8.4 or higher, Composer, and npm for the build process.

Key features

• Self-hosted photo storage and management
• Web-based image uploading and organization
• Photo sharing capabilities for external viewers
• EXIF metadata support for image details
• Privacy controls to manage who can see photos
• Background job processing via dedicated worker containers
• Database integration with MariaDB and MySQL
• Support for both stable and edge development builds

The application is developed using a stack that includes PHP and Vue.js. Its architecture is designed to be lightweight and quick to install, allowing it to run on standard web server environments. By utilizing a database for metadata and a structured file system for uploads, it manages large collections of images while providing a user interface that mimics the behavior of a native application. The system is intended for photographers and privacy-conscious individuals who require a centralized location for their images that is not managed by a third-party corporation.

Lychee serves as a private gallery solution for those who prioritize data sovereignty and local control over their photography archives.