The Free Software Media System | Jellyfin | WarmIndex

Jellyfin is the Free Software Media System that puts you in control of managing and streaming your personal media from a dedicated server.

🚀 Overview

Jellyfin is an open-source media server software that allows users to collect, manage, and stream their own media libraries—including movies, TV shows, music, live TV, books, photos, and more—to any device via web or native clients. It's a community-driven fork of Emby's 3.5 branch, providing a fully free alternative to proprietary media servers like Plex and Emby, with no premium features, tracking, or hidden costs.

The project solves the problem of vendor lock-in and privacy concerns with commercial media solutions by offering self-hosted, customizable streaming that's 100% under user control. It's built for self-hosting enthusiasts, cord-cutters, families, and media hoarders who want an ad-free, private Netflix-like experience for their collections.

Jellyfin was created by volunteers to keep media software free and open forever, emphasizing GNU GPL licensing and community contributions.

✨ Key Features

Library organization for movies, TV shows (with seasons), music (artists/playlists), live TV/DVR, books/comics/magazines, and photos.
SyncPlay for synchronized remote movie nights with friends/family.
Real-time transcoding and direct play using FFmpeg for broad device compatibility.
Customizable home screens, library filters, detailed media info, and playback controls per user.
Upcoming: Continued dashboard modernization and client improvements.

🛠 Tech Stack

Frontend: Jellyfin Web (JavaScript/TypeScript), native clients (Android, iOS, tvOS, etc.)
Backend: .NET (C#), FFmpeg for media processing
Database: SQLite (default), MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, MS SQL Server
Auth: Custom built-in user management
Hosting: Self-hosted (Docker, native packages for Linux/Windows/macOS, NAS)

👥 Who Is This For?

This project is useful for:

Self-hosters who want a privacy-focused media server
Users migrating from Plex/Emby tired of subscriptions and tracking
Indie media collectors and families building home entertainment systems

📸 Screenshots / Demo

Live demo: https://demo.jellyfin.org
GitHub: https://github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin

🔥 Project Status

🟢 Actively building

Last updated: 2026-03-24

❓ FAQ

Is this project free?

Yes — Completely free software with no fees, ads, or premium tiers. Donations support incidental costs.

Is the source code available?

Yes — https://github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin (server), https://github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin-web (web client), and more in the Jellyfin org.

Can I contribute?

Yes — Check the contributing guide (https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/contributing/), report issues/PRs on GitHub, translate via Weblate, suggest features at features.jellyfin.org, or help non-code via donations/forums.