What is Erin?

Erin is a self-hosted web application that presents your personal image and video collection in a TikTok-style vertical swipe interface. You organize media into folders to create playlists, and Erin serves them through a React frontend powered by Caddy, which handles HTTPS, authentication, and static file serving in a single container. Features include autoplay, keyboard and touch navigation, fullscreen mode, media masking, custom metadata via JSON sidecar files, optional custom CSS theming, and configurable scroll direction. Deployment is via Docker or Docker Compose with a mounted media directory. Authentication uses a Caddy-generated password hash. The project is MIT-licensed and actively maintained.

Should you self-host Erin?

Erin scores 49/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #36 of 54 in Media Streaming. It has 364 GitHub stars.

It shipped 10 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v1.22.0, came out on 15 August 2026. New versions land roughly every 1 days.

Setup is easy: most people get it running in one sitting. An official Docker image is available. It is MIT-licensed and written mostly in JavaScript.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Invidious (81/100, 25 801 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See Erin vs Invidious side by side.

Features

Automatic media naming
Autoplay
Configurable video start position
Custom CSS theming
Direct media sharing
Folder-level metadata inheritance
Horizontal and vertical scroll
HTTP and HTTPS support
Keyboard and touch navigation
Lazy Loading
Media masking
Media metadata via JSON sidecars
Password Protection
Playlists via folder structure
TikTok-style vertical swipe feed

How to configure Erin

APP_TITLEErin - TikTok feed for your own mediaThe custom title to display in the browser's tab. Can use [VIDEO_TITLE] placeholder.
The custom title to display in the browser's tab. Can use [VIDEO_TITLE] placeholder.
AUTH_ENABLEDtrueWhether Basic Authentication should be enabled. Case sensitive.
Whether Basic Authentication should be enabled. Case sensitive.
values: true, false
AUTH_SECRETHash of `secure-password`The secure hash of the password used to protect your instance of Erin.
The secure hash of the password used to protect your instance of Erin.
AUTOPLAY_ENABLEDfalseWhether autoplay should be enabled. Case sensitive.
Whether autoplay should be enabled. Case sensitive.
values: true, false
IGNORE_HIDDEN_PATHSfalseWhether all hidden files and directories (starting with a dot) should be ignored by Erin.
Whether all hidden files and directories (starting with a dot) should be ignored by Erin.
values: true, false
IMAGE_DISPLAY_DURATION5How many seconds an image remains on screen before its timeline restarts or autoplay advances the feed. Positive decimals supported.
How many seconds an image remains on screen before its timeline restarts or autoplay advances the feed. Positive decimals supported.
PROGRESS_BAR_POSITIONbottomWhere the progress bar should be located on the screen. Case sensitive.
Where the progress bar should be located on the screen. Case sensitive.
values: bottom, top
PUBLIC_URLhttps://localhostThe public URL used to remotely access your instance of Erin. Include HTTP/HTTPS and port if not standard 80 or 443. No trailing slash.
The public URL used to remotely access your instance of Erin. Include HTTP/HTTPS and port if not standard 80 or 443. No trailing slash.
SCROLL_DIRECTIONverticalThe scroll direction of your media feed.
The scroll direction of your media feed.
values: vertical, horizontal
START_MUTEDtrueWhether videos should start muted. Case sensitive.
Whether videos should start muted. Case sensitive.
values: true, false
USE_CUSTOM_SKINfalseWhether a custom skin should be loaded on startup.
Whether a custom skin should be loaded on startup.
values: true, false
VIDEO_START_POSITIONstartWhere videos start playing.
Where videos start playing.
values: start, middle, random