Submitted 1 month ago by rfr_Foglia@feddit.it to selfhosted@lemmy.world
Jellyfin Server has a flatpak (and other packing formats too) version that you can easily install without docker directly on your PC. Would it make sense for Immich to do the same? In my mind it would be super useful, I could sync my photos when my PC is on and when is off rely on my local photos only since my main goal is having a backup of them.
Am I crazy?
Immich needs an external database.
Jellyfin uses built-in sqlite.
This is exactly why flatpaks are trickier for Immich - managing the PostgreSQL dependency outside the sandbox is a real headache since flatpak isolation would complicate the database conection, whereas Jellyfin’s SQLite just works as a self-contained file.
As far as I know, the Jellyfin server flatpak is not made by the Jellyfin team, but by one from the community.
So I don’t see what would be stopping you from doing the same with Immich.
looks like it’s made by the Jellyfin team, by I could be misunderstanding the meaning of the verified checkmark
It’s extra work to maintain and test another release format — and the core developers want to focus on making software.
No one is stopping you from rolling your own flatpak.
If your goal is simply having a backup then Immich seems like overkill
With Syncthing my smartphone and PC would be perfectly synched (from what I know), but isn’t exactly what Immich does. With it you can remove photos one your phone and still view them when the PC is on
It probably can be packaged in a flatpak but it would be more of a challenge than using the docker package. You could implement your use case today with the default docker compose setup. You could be up and running in minutes. Start it with -d and it would even start automatically on reboot.
Thanks for the info
I guess I’m a bit confused, immich does have a few docker containers available, I’m using one for backups and it works great.
Considering that Linus himself only makes binaries for windows and mac, and doesn’t bother packaging for Linux because it’s so painful, I’m not surprised that the immich folks didn’t make one.
A podman quadlet would be a great way to manage the Immich container.
It’d be managed as a systemd unit. IMO its a better method than flatpak.
In my mind it would be super useful, I could sync my photos when my PC is on and when is off rely on my local photos only since my main goal is having a backup of them.
You could do this perfectly with the docker version, so just curiosity here, why not user docker?
Is it because you don’t want to install docker for only Immich? (you could also install other selfhosted server/apps as bonus),
would you be against snap? As someone already mentioned, there is a snap version.
If the important thing is having backups of your photos, there are alternative apps with different packaging formats.
You could make a request for flatpak, I suppose, but you would have to wait for feedback from devs and understand if they don’t have the resources or willingness to maintain it.
Am I crazy or it makes sense?
Imho what makes sense is that, if I’m interested in a specific app, see what packaging formats it has and see how to install it and try it out. Only if I’m having issues with it, or can’t run it on my specific distro with the provided packaging formats, I try to suggest/request a different format.
I know how to use docker (a bit) and I have already installed Immich with it some time ago, but it would be nice to have an easier alternative, especially for less tech inclined people
Surely this is better-suited for the Immich GitHub Discussions page, no?
I wanted to have a little bit of feedback before opening an issue
does jellyfin have a flatpak app for the server or is it just the client, app? So far I know it is just the client.
I think the easiest way to install immich is with docker.
It has seprataed installable versions for the server and and for the client. I use the flatpak app to host my stuff on my pc
you're right. I've just noted that client and server are available in flathub
vhstape@lemmy.sdf.org 1 month ago
My understanding is that Flatpaks are generally reserved for GUI applications and not command-line tools or servers. I’m not sure it’s the ideal format for Immich.
That said—and I’m probably going to get hate for this—there is an Immich snap package that does just what you’re looking for.
illusionist@lemmy.zip 1 month ago
In fact the tutorial offers to create a CLI application:
unix.stackexchange.com/…/does-flatpak-support-com…
rfr_Foglia@feddit.it 1 month ago
Thanks man, I’m gonna try it asap
lena@gregtech.eu 1 month ago
Snap is amazing for CLI stuff