How to Deploy Immich: A Self-Hosted Media Platform

If you have photos and videos scattered across devices and cloud services, Immich can help. It’s a self-hosted media library that organizes, categorizes, and makes your media searchable—without relying on Big Tech like Google or Apple.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through setting up Immich using Docker Compose, focusing on its machine learning (ML) and database backends. Let’s get started.

What Makes Immich Special?

• Machine Learning Magic: Automatically tags and categorizes your media.
• Fast Search: Thanks to Redis and Postgres with vector-based indexing.
• Privacy First: Self-hosted means you own your data.

The Docker Compose File

Here’s the setup you need to get Immich running. This configuration is tailored to the latest release for maximum compatibility:

name: immich  

services:  
  immich-server:  
    container_name: immich_server  
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-server:${IMMICH_VERSION:-release}  
    volumes:  
      - ${UPLOAD_LOCATION}:/usr/src/app/upload  
      - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro  
    env_file:  
      - .env  
    ports:  
      - '2283:2283'  
    depends_on:  
      - redis  
      - database  
    restart: always  

  immich-machine-learning:  
    container_name: immich_machine_learning  
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-machine-learning:${IMMICH_VERSION:-release}  
    volumes:  
      - model-cache:/cache  
    env_file:  
      - .env  
    restart: always  

  redis:  
    container_name: immich_redis  
    image: docker.io/redis:6.2-alpine  
    restart: always  

  database:  
    container_name: immich_postgres  
    image: docker.io/tensorchord/pgvecto-rs:pg14-v0.2.0  
    environment:  
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${DB_PASSWORD}  
      POSTGRES_USER: ${DB_USERNAME}  
      POSTGRES_DB: ${DB_DATABASE_NAME}  
      POSTGRES_INITDB_ARGS: '--data-checksums'  
    volumes:  
      - ${DB_DATA_LOCATION}:/var/lib/postgresql/data  
    restart: always  

volumes:  
  model-cache:  

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Set Up Your Environment

1. Install Docker and Docker Compose: Make sure your server is ready for containers.
2. Download the Latest Docker Compose File: Use the official release to avoid compatibility issues.
3. Create a .env File: Define key environment variables like:

UPLOAD_LOCATION=/path/to/media/uploads  
DB_PASSWORD=your_db_password  
DB_USERNAME=your_db_username  
DB_DATABASE_NAME=immich  
DB_DATA_LOCATION=/path/to/db/data  

Step 2: Deploy Immich

Run the following command:

docker-compose up -d

The services will start in the background, pulling the required images and setting up the containers.

Step 3: Access Immich

• Navigate to http://<your-server-ip>:2283 in your browser.
• Log in or set up your first user.

Behind the Scenes

• Immich Server: Handles API requests and serves the web interface.
• Machine Learning Backend: Tags and categorizes your media for easy searchability.
• Redis: Speeds up processing with caching.
• Postgres: Stores metadata and integrates vector-based indexing for smart searches.

1. Enable Hardware Acceleration:
   If your server has GPUs, leverage hardware acceleration for transcoding and ML tasks. Adjust the image tags in the compose file accordingly.
2. Secure with HTTPS:
   Use a reverse proxy like Traefik or Caddy to secure your Immich instance with SSL.
3. Periodic Backups:
   Schedule backups for UPLOAD_LOCATION and DB_DATA_LOCATION to ensure your data is safe.

Why Immich?

With Immich, you get the power of Google Photos minus the privacy concerns. From auto-tagging to blazing-fast search, it’s like the ultimate solution for anyone serious about their media collection.

Ready to declutter your digital life? Deploy Immich today! 🚀