Damselfly vs exifr
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted photo management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Damselfly
Server-based photo management for large libraries
VS
exifr
Fast JavaScript EXIF and metadata reader for photos
| Feature | Damselfly | exifr |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C# | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,781 | ★ 1,245 |
| First released | 2020 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Google Photos | Commercial metadata APIs |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Damselfly or exifr better?
Neither is universally better. Damselfly has the larger community, while exifr is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Damselfly and exifr free and open-source?
Yes. Damselfly is licensed under GPL-3.0 and exifr under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Damselfly and exifr with Docker?
Damselfly: yes. exifr: check the project docs for container support.