Damselfly

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hostedWebWindows

What Damselfly is

Damselfly is free, self-hosted photo management software for indexing large, folder-based collections so users can search and tag images. Its search supports full-text and multi-phrase partial-word queries, with filters for dates, faces, objects, camera details, file size, and orientation. Machine-learning features detect and recognize faces, identify objects, and classify image colours; face processing runs locally and offline. Damselfly uses ExifTool to write metadata without re-encoding JPEGs. It runs as a server with a web interface and can be deployed with Docker or installed without it. Desktop clients for macOS, Windows, and Linux can sync selected server images to a local folder. Authentication can assign User, ReadOnly, and Admin roles, while baskets can be private or shared. By default, anyone with access can browse, modify, and download images, so authentication is needed for role-based permissions. Non-Docker installation is unsupported and intended for experts; AI setup is harder without Docker, and AI processing can be CPU-intensive.

Who it suits

Damselfly suits people managing large, folder-based photo collections who can run self-hosted software. It may also suit users who want locally processed face recognition and desktop clients to sync selected images.

What it does well

Free, open-source, and self-hosted.
Search includes detailed filters and partial-word phrases.
Face processing runs locally and offline.
Metadata updates do not re-encode JPEGs.
Desktop clients sync selected images to a local folder.

What to know first

Authentication must be enabled for role-based permissions.
Non-Docker installation is unsupported and intended for experts.
AI setup is harder without Docker.
AI processing can be CPU-intensive.

Limits

The plan is free and self-hosted. AI processing can be CPU-intensive, and non-Docker installation is unsupported; AI setup is harder without Docker.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Damselfly	Free, open-source software · self-hosted	Free

As github.com lists them, read 2 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Damselfly project website on GitHub.
Choose Docker deployment or install without Docker; non-Docker installation is intended for experts.
Run Damselfly as a server and access its web interface.
Enable authentication and assign User, ReadOnly or Admin roles as needed.
Optionally install a desktop client for macOS, Windows or Linux to sync selected images.

Verdict

Damselfly combines collection search, image recognition, and metadata management in a self-hosted server. Enable authentication to apply user roles, and note the installation and resource caveats around AI processing.

Questions

How much does Damselfly cost?

The listed plan is free. It is free, open-source software for self-hosting.

Which platforms does Damselfly support?

It is listed for Linux, macOS, Windows, web and self-hosting. Desktop clients for Linux, macOS and Windows can sync selected server images to a local folder.

Does Damselfly support RAW photos and face recognition?

Yes. RAW photo support and face recognition are listed, and face detection and recognition run locally and offline.

Does Damselfly have a free plan or trial?

It has a free plan and no free trial.

Can Damselfly upload to WordPress?

Its selection basket supports WordPress uploads. JWT authentication must be configured on the WordPress site.

How are access permissions managed?

Authentication can enable User, ReadOnly and Admin roles, and baskets can be private or shared. By default, anyone with access can browse, modify and download images.

Facts from Damselfly's own pages

Deployment: Damselfly runs as a server with a web UI and can be deployed using Docker or installed without Docker. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Desktop clients: The project lists desktop client versions for macOS, Windows, and Linux that sync selected server images to a local folder. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Image recognition: Its machine-learning features include face detection and recognition, object recognition, and image colour classification. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Image search: It supports full-text, multi-phrase partial-word search and filters including dates, faces, objects, camera details, file size, and orientation. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Installation limit: The maintainer says non-Docker installations are unsupported and intended for experts, and that AI setup is harder without Docker. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Integrations: The selection basket supports uploads to WordPress, which requires JWT authentication configured on the WordPress site. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Metadata: Damselfly uses ExifTool to write metadata losslessly, so keyword changes do not re-encode JPEGs. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Multi-user access: Authentication can be enabled with User, ReadOnly, and Admin roles, and baskets can be private or shared. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Offline processing: The project says face detection and recognition run locally and offline. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Other workflows: The project documents exporting images for use with DigiKam or Photoshop and syncing files with Rclone. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Performance and resource use: The README claims searches across a 500,000-image catalogue return results in less than a second; technical documentation warns that AI processing can be CPU-intensive. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Purpose: Damselfly is a server-based photo management system designed to index large, folder-based photo collections for search and keyword tagging. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Security caveat: The documentation says that by default anyone with access can browse, modify, and download images; authentication must be enabled to apply user roles and permissions. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Support: The maintainer directs users to Reddit, GitHub issues, or email for questions, problems, and feature requests. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026

Where Damselfly stands on Freedom251

Photo Management Software#4 of 37