# Ampache — Self-Hosted Music Streaming Server

> Ampache is an open-source web-based audio and video streaming application written in PHP. It lets you host your music library on your own server and stream it from any browser or Subsonic-compatible app.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Ampache — Self-Hosted Music Streaming Server

## Quick Use
```bash
docker run -d -p 80:80 -v /path/to/music:/media 
  -e AMPACHE_DB_HOST=db -e AMPACHE_DB_NAME=ampache 
  ampache/ampache:latest
# Open http://localhost and complete the web installer
```

## Introduction
Ampache has been a staple of self-hosted music streaming since 2001. It catalogs your audio and video files, organizes them with metadata, and streams them to your browser or any Subsonic/DAAP-compatible player on your phone, desktop, or smart speaker.

## What Ampache Does
- Catalogs and streams audio and video files from your server
- Organizes music by artist, album, genre, year, and custom playlists
- Provides a web player with queue management, shuffle, and repeat
- Supports Subsonic and DAAP APIs for third-party mobile and desktop players
- Manages multiple users with individual libraries, playlists, and access rights

## Architecture Overview
Ampache is a PHP application backed by MySQL or MariaDB. It scans configured media directories to build a metadata catalog, pulling tags from files and optionally fetching album art and artist information. The web interface is server-rendered with JavaScript enhancements. Streaming is handled through direct HTTP delivery or on-the-fly transcoding using FFmpeg. The Subsonic and DAAP API endpoints allow any compatible client to connect as if it were a native streaming server.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy with Docker or install on any LAMP stack (Apache/Nginx + PHP + MySQL)
- Point Ampache at one or more directories containing your music files
- Run the catalog scanner to import metadata and generate the library
- Configure transcoding profiles to convert FLAC or other formats on the fly for mobile streaming
- Enable the Subsonic API to connect mobile apps like DSub, Ultrasonic, or play:Sub

## Key Features
- On-the-fly transcoding with configurable bitrate and codec settings
- Multiple API interfaces: Ampache XML/JSON, Subsonic, DAAP, and WebDAV
- Smart playlists based on genre, year, rating, play count, or custom rules
- Album art fetching and metadata correction tools
- Multi-user support with per-user catalogs and access controls

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Navidrome** — modern Go-based server with a clean UI; Ampache offers more configuration options and supports video alongside audio
- **Jellyfin** — full media server for movies, TV, and music; Ampache is focused specifically on music with deeper library management
- **Plex** — commercial media server with music support; Ampache is free, self-hosted, and does not require an account on an external service
- **Funkwhale** — federated music platform with social features; Ampache is a traditional server-client model without federation
- **Koel** — Laravel-based music streamer with a modern SPA interface; Ampache has a larger feature set and longer track record

## FAQ
**Q: What audio formats does Ampache support?**
A: Ampache reads any format that PHP and your media scanner can parse, including MP3, FLAC, OGG, AAC, WMA, and OPUS. FFmpeg-based transcoding can convert between formats on the fly.

**Q: Can I use Ampache with my phone?**
A: Yes. Enable the Subsonic API and connect with any Subsonic-compatible app such as DSub (Android) or play:Sub (iOS).

**Q: Does Ampache support podcasts?**
A: Yes. Ampache can subscribe to podcast RSS feeds, download episodes, and stream them through the web interface or API.

**Q: How do I keep my library updated when I add new files?**
A: Schedule the catalog update command via cron, or trigger a scan manually from the web interface. Ampache detects new, modified, and deleted files.

## Sources
- https://github.com/ampache/ampache
- https://ampache.org/

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/29d55b96-4126-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot