Timeshift
Backup & RecoverySystem restore tool for Linux using snapshots
Replaces Time Machine, System Restore
Self-hosted apps built with Vala
6 open-source, self-hostable apps written primarily in Vala.
Dino
Matrix & XMPPModern XMPP chat client for the desktop
Replaces Skype, Slack
FeedReader
RSS & News ReadersModern desktop RSS client for Linux
Replaces Feedly
Deja Dup
Backup & RecoverySimple backup tool for the GNOME desktop
Replaces Time Machine, Backblaze
Shotwell Server
Photo ManagementDigital photo organizer with tagging and event grouping
Replaces Google Photos, Apple Photos
Rygel
Media ServersGNOME UPnP/DLNA media sharing server
Replaces Plex
No apps match these filters.
Last reviewed Oct 11, 2026 · 543 words
The Vala bucket is the oddest one in the directory: of the six catalogued apps, only Rygel behaves like a server, and even it is a desktop-oriented UPnP/DLNA sharing daemon. The others (Timeshift, Dino, FeedReader, Deja Dup and Shotwell) are GNOME-era Linux desktop applications that ended up here because they keep your data local. They are good software, but if you came looking for something to put in a container on a homelab box, this page will mostly send you elsewhere.
Why Vala apps are desktop apps
Vala is a language built around GNOME's GObject system. It compiles to C, which then compiles to a native binary, so the result is fast, small and linked against GTK and the GNOME libraries. That is why the catalogue lists these apps as binary or bare-metal: you install them from your distribution's package manager, and not one of them lists Docker.
For the person running them, that has three consequences. Memory is modest (the directory estimates 128 to 256 MB across the bucket). Upgrades arrive through distro packages, so you get whatever version your release ships. And patching means installing the Vala compiler plus GTK and GNOME development headers, which is ordinary work on a Linux desktop and awkward anywhere else.
What each Vala app actually is
| App | What it is | Runs as | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timeshift | System snapshot and restore | Desktop tool | Active |
| Dino | XMPP chat client | Desktop client | Active |
| FeedReader | Desktop RSS client | Desktop client | Archived |
| Deja Dup | Personal file backup | Desktop tool | Active |
| Shotwell | Photo organiser | Desktop app, no web UI | Active |
| Rygel | UPnP/DLNA media sharing | Background service | Active |
Timeshift (about 4,300 stars) is the most popular and the most useful to a self-hoster, though not as a hosted service: it snapshots a Linux system with rsync or Btrfs so you can roll back a broken upgrade. It protects the machine, not your files, so pair it with a real file backup such as restic or BorgBackup. Dino (about 2,500 stars) is a modern desktop XMPP client you would point at your own XMPP server. FeedReader is archived, so do not start with it.
The "Shotwell Server" entry is misleading in name: the catalogue's own notes say it is desktop only with no web interface. If you want a photo library you reach from a browser or phone, look at Immich instead.
Is Rygel a Jellyfin replacement?
No. Rygel shares audio, video and images from a Linux machine to UPnP and DLNA devices on your network, with transcoding support and GNOME integration, but it has no standalone UI, no user accounts and no remote streaming. It is the right tool for "make the TV see the music folder on this desktop" and the wrong one for a household media server. For that, Jellyfin is the default.
What I'd do
Use the Vala apps where they were designed to live. On a Linux desktop or laptop, install Timeshift for system rollback and Dino if you run XMPP. On a server, skip this bucket: none of these is a better choice than the container-native apps in the backup category or the media-server category.