HomeGallery vs Shotwell Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted photo management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | HomeGallery | Shotwell Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | MIT | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | JavaScript | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,185 | ★ 400 |
| First released | 2020 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Google Photos | Google Photos, Apple Photos |
What are HomeGallery and Shotwell Server?
HomeGallery
HomeGallery is a self-hosted web gallery that indexes photos and videos and offers fast browsing, similarity search, and face detection. It builds an offline-capable database from your existing media folders.
- Similarity search
- Face detection
- Video support
- Offline-capable database
Shotwell Server
Shotwell is a digital photo organizer that imports, tags, rates, and lightly edits photos, grouping them automatically by event. While desktop-focused, its library folders can be shared and backed up centrally.
- Event-based grouping
- Tagging and ratings
- Basic editing tools
- Direct import from cameras
HomeGallery vs Shotwell Server: key differences
HomeGallery is written in JavaScript, while Shotwell Server is built with Vala. Licensing differs — MIT for HomeGallery versus LGPL-2.1 for Shotwell Server. Shotwell Server is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for HomeGallery. Shotwell Server is the more established project (first released 2009), while HomeGallery arrived in 2020. HomeGallery has the considerably larger community, at 1,185 GitHub stars versus 400. HomeGallery lists first-class Docker deployment; Shotwell Server does not.
Why pick each one
Choose HomeGallery if…
- Fast browsing
- Reads existing folders
Watch out for
- Indexing can be slow
- No upload from app
Choose Shotwell Server if…
- Fast and stable
- No accounts
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No web interface
Frequently asked questions
Is HomeGallery or Shotwell Server better?
Neither is universally better. HomeGallery has the larger community, while Shotwell Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are HomeGallery and Shotwell Server free and open-source?
Yes. HomeGallery is licensed under MIT and Shotwell Server under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run HomeGallery and Shotwell Server with Docker?
HomeGallery: yes. Shotwell Server: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, HomeGallery or Shotwell Server?
Shotwell Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for HomeGallery. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.