Self-host facet
v1.25.0AI-powered photo scoring and culling gallery
- Stars
- 323
- CPU
- Any (x86_64/ARM64)
- RAM
- 8 GB minimum, 12 GB recommended for CPU profiles
- Storage
- Depends on photo library size; model caches 3-24 GB
- Port
- 5000 (Web gallery viewer)
- Requires
- Node.js, Python
ghcr.io/ncoevoet/facet:latest
What is facet?
Facet is a self-hosted photo analysis and culling engine that scores images across nine quality dimensions including aesthetic quality, composition, face quality, and technical sharpness. It provides a web-based gallery for browsing, filtering, and searching photos using natural language queries. Key features include burst detection and auto-culling, face recognition with blink detection, semantic search, timeline and map views, themed capsules (slideshows), album management, star ratings, and AI-powered critique. It works with Lightroom, darktable, and digiKam through XMP sidecars, supports phone auto-upload via WebDAV, and offers an MCP endpoint for AI agents. Facet runs on CPU or GPU (NVIDIA/Apple Silicon) via Docker or native Python installation. The code is MIT licensed, though some default models have non-commercial licenses.
Should you self-host facet?
facet scores 50/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #21 of 41 in Photo Management. It has 323 GitHub stars.
It shipped 24 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v1.25.0, came out on 27 October 2026. New versions land roughly every 2 days.
Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. An official Docker image is available. It is Other-licensed and written mostly in Python.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Ente (81/100, 29 702 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See facet vs Ente side by side.
Features
- AI Photo Scoring
- AI Tags & Content Categories
- Album Management
- Album Sharing & Client Proofing
- Burst Detection & Auto-Culling
- Face Recognition
- MCP endpoint for AI agents
- Multi-User Mode
- Phone Auto-Upload (WebDAV)
- Photo Frame / Kiosk Endpoint
- Semantic Search
- Star Ratings & Favorites
- Web Gallery
- XMP Metadata Interop
facet README
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