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PiGallery2

PiGallery2 is a free, MIT-licensed photo gallery website for self-hosting on low-resource servers, including Raspberry Pi.

Place
#19 of 37
Score
6.7
PiGallery2's website

What PiGallery2 is

PiGallery2 is a free, MIT-licensed photo gallery website for self-hosting on low-resource servers, including Raspberry Pi. It keeps an existing folder structure: files on disk remain the source of truth, while the database is a rebuildable cache. Photos appear in a grid with recursive folder browsing and render as visitors scroll. Search supports boolean logic, negation, exact and wildcard matches, and autocomplete; saved searches provide an alternative to traditional database-only albums. The viewer offers full-screen mode, keyboard navigation, a slideshow and an optional information panel. Users can share folders through links that may be password protected, view photo locations on OpenStreetMap or Mapbox, and display GPX-tracked paths. Docker with Docker Compose is the recommended installation method, with images for amd64 and arm64v8; arm32v7 is deprecated. Native installation is possible for people familiar with Node.js but is not officially supported. The developer describes PiGallery2 as a hobby project with releases when features and available time permit. Database or configuration changes may require resets between releases, and database upgrade scripts are not provided.

Good

  • Keeps files on disk as the source of truth
  • Offers detailed search and autocomplete
  • Folder sharing can use password-protected links
  • Displays locations and GPX-tracked paths
  • Free and MIT-licensed

Watch out

  • Native installation is not officially supported
  • arm32v7 Docker images are deprecated
  • Database upgrade scripts are not provided
  • Releases do not follow a fixed schedule

Who it suits

PiGallery2 suits people who want to host a gallery on a low-resource server and keep an organized collection in its existing folders. It is a fit for users comfortable with self-hosting and the recommended Docker setup.

Verdict

PiGallery2 offers browsing, search and sharing while leaving the photo folder intact. Its self-hosted approach and release-related reset requirements make it better suited to users comfortable managing their own server.

Plans and prices

From PiGallery2's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
PiGallery2FreeSelf-hosted photo gallery · MIT-licensed

The facts

Each one read from PiGallery2's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Authentication
Available authentication options include no authentication, built-in basic authentication, and ORCID support.checked 8 Oct 2026
Data model
The project treats files on disk as the source of truth and the database as a rebuildable cache; it uses saved searches instead of traditional database-only albums.checked 7 Oct 2026
Deployment
Docker with Docker Compose is the official recommended installation method; native installation is possible but unsupported.checked 8 Oct 2026
Extensions
Users can build extensions, with support mainly for server-side changes and minimal UI modifications.checked 7 Oct 2026
Extensions and integrations
It supports user-built extensions, Adobe XMP face-region metadata, ORCID authentication, and random-photo links for third-party applications.checked 8 Oct 2026
Formats
The documented formats include JPG, WebP, PNG, GIF, SVG, selected camera RAW formats depending on the Docker image, and MP4, OGG, OGV, and WebM video.checked 8 Oct 2026
Integrations
The gallery supports OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, custom map tile providers, and OpenID Connect with Authentik.checked 7 Oct 2026
Intended audience
The project is intended for people who want to run a photo gallery on their own low-resource server while keeping their existing folder organization.checked 7 Oct 2026
Intended users
The maker describes the project as useful for people with organized photo collections who want to share them without uploading them to a third-party service.checked 8 Oct 2026
License
The project is licensed under the MIT License.checked 7 Oct 2026
Maps
It plots photo location data on OpenStreetMap or Mapbox, supports custom map providers, and can display GPX tracks.checked 8 Oct 2026
Native installation
Native installation is possible for users familiar with Node.js, but is not officially supported.checked 7 Oct 2026
Notable limitations
The project does not provide database upgrade scripts, and database or configuration changes may require resets between releases.checked 8 Oct 2026
Photo browsing
It displays photos in a grid with recursive folder listings and on-demand rendering as users scroll.checked 7 Oct 2026
Photo viewing
Its photo viewer has an optional information panel, full-screen viewing, keyboard navigation, and slideshow support.checked 8 Oct 2026
Privacy and storage
The project describes the disk as the source of truth and the database as a rebuildable cache; its README says the photo folder is never modified.checked 8 Oct 2026
Purpose
PiGallery2 is a directory-first photo gallery website designed for low-resource servers, including Raspberry Pi.checked 8 Oct 2026
Release cadence
The developer describes PiGallery2 as a hobby project, with releases when features are ready and time permits rather than on a fixed schedule.checked 7 Oct 2026
Search
Search supports boolean expressions, negation, exact and wildcard matches, autocomplete, and metadata filters.checked 8 Oct 2026
Sharing
Users can share photo folders through links that may be password protected.checked 8 Oct 2026
Support and releases
The developer describes PiGallery2 as a hobby project maintained in free time, with releases when features are ready rather than on a fixed schedule.checked 8 Oct 2026
Supported architectures
The Docker instructions list amd64, arm64v8, and deprecated arm32v7 architectures.checked 8 Oct 2026

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