The Free Software Media System | Jellyfin
The volunteer-built media solution that puts you in control of your media. Stream to any device from your own server, with no strings attached.
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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.
📬 Contact & Links
- Website: https://jellyfin.org
- GitHub: https://github.com/jellyfin
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/jellyfin
- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/jellyfin
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