Jellyfin
Jellyfin’s server backend and API support collecting, managing, and streaming personal media from a server.
About Jellyfin
Jellyfin is a free software media system for managing and streaming a personal media collection. It runs a dedicated server that provides media to end-user devices through multiple apps. The project describes itself as an alternative to the proprietary Emby and Plex. It is descended from Emby's 3.5.2 release and ported to the .NET platform for cross-platform support.
This GitHub repository contains only the server backend and API, not the end-user client apps. The README states that the server is supported on all major operating systems except FreeBSD. Building from source requires the .NET 10 SDK and ffmpeg.
Key features
- Manages a personal media collection on a dedicated server
- Streams media to end-user devices through multiple client apps
- Server backend and API code in the Jellyfin.Api project
- Code modules for metadata, photos, naming and media encoding
- Docker and Unraid deployment templates included in the repository
Best for: Developers and technically experienced users who want to build, run, or contribute to the open source Jellyfin server backend from source.
Good for
- Free software, with the README stating there are no premium licenses or features
- Ported to .NET, with stated support on all major operating systems except FreeBSD
- Presented as a free software alternative to the proprietary Emby and Plex
Watch out for
- Not supported on FreeBSD, which the README describes as still incompatible
- Building from source requires the .NET 10 SDK and ffmpeg to be installed first
- The repository covers only the server backend, not the end-user client apps
Jellyfin at a glance
- Website
- github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin
- Category
- Software & Utilities › Media Players & Servers
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Open source
- Yes · Source code
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Media Players & Servers
Jellyfin alternatives
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Jellyfin FAQ
What must be installed before building the server from source?
The README says the .NET 10 SDK must be installed before the project can be built, and ffmpeg also needs to be installed.
Which IDEs can be used for development?
The README says any IDE that supports .NET 6 development will work. It names recent versions of Visual Studio (at least 2022) and Visual Studio Code as two options.
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