Jackett — Unified Torrent Indexer API for Media Automation

Introduction

Jackett is a self-hosted proxy server that acts as a translation layer between media automation tools (Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr) and torrent indexer sites. It provides a unified Torznab/Potato API so these tools can search hundreds of indexers through a single integration point.

What Jackett Does

• Translates Torznab and Potato API queries into site-specific scraping requests
• Supports hundreds of public and private torrent trackers out of the box
• Provides a web UI for adding, configuring, and testing indexer connections
• Serves as a single endpoint that Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, and other *arr apps connect to
• Handles authentication, session management, and CAPTCHA for supported trackers

Architecture Overview

Jackett is a .NET application that runs as a background service. Each indexer is implemented as a definition file (YAML or C# class) describing the site's search endpoints, authentication flow, and result parsing rules. When a query arrives via the Torznab API, Jackett routes it to the correct indexer handler, executes the search, and returns normalized results in a standard XML format.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Deploy via Docker (linuxserver/jackett image) or install natively on Windows, Linux, or macOS
• Access the web dashboard at port 9117 to add and manage indexers
• Set an admin password and API key in the dashboard for security
• Configure each indexer with your credentials; Jackett stores them locally in its config directory
• Add Jackett as a Torznab indexer in Sonarr/Radarr using the provided per-indexer or aggregate API URL

Key Features

• Hundreds of supported indexers with community-maintained definitions
• Aggregate search endpoint that queries all configured indexers in a single request
• Per-indexer API URLs for fine-grained control in downstream apps
• Built-in indexer testing to verify credentials and connectivity
• FlareSolverr integration for sites protected by Cloudflare challenges

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Prowlarr — newer *arr-native indexer manager with tighter Sonarr/Radarr integration; Jackett has broader indexer support
• NZBHydra2 — focused on Usenet indexers; Jackett is torrent-focused
• Cardigann — abandoned predecessor; Jackett adopted and extended its definition format
• Manual RSS feeds — limited to what sites publish; Jackett actively queries and normalizes results

FAQ

Q: Can I use Jackett with Sonarr and Radarr simultaneously? A: Yes. Each app connects to Jackett independently using the same API key and indexer URLs.

Q: Does Jackett work with private trackers? A: Yes. Configure your tracker credentials in the Jackett web UI. Jackett handles login sessions and cookie management.

Q: What is FlareSolverr and do I need it? A: FlareSolverr is a separate service that solves Cloudflare challenges. It is only needed for indexers behind Cloudflare protection.

Q: How do I update indexer definitions? A: Jackett updates ship with the latest definitions. Updating Jackett to the newest release includes all current indexer fixes.

Sources

• https://github.com/Jackett/Jackett
• https://github.com/Jackett/Jackett/wiki