Self-Hosted Quick Start

Get an OmniLux server online quickly, then attach it to your account when you are ready.

Prerequisites

• Docker 24+ with Docker Compose v2
• A directory for your media files
• A directory for OmniLux application data

What this guide does

This guide gets you to a working local server. It does not require a cloud account, but the recommended next step is claiming the server so it can participate in the full OmniLux account model.

1. Create your project directory

mkdir omnilux && cd omnilux

2. Download the Docker Compose file

curl -o docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/omnilux/omnilux/main/docker-compose.example.yml

3. Configure storage paths

Open docker-compose.yml and update the volume mounts:

volumes:
  # Persistent app data (SQLite DB, downloads, config)
  - /path/to/omnilux/data:/app/data
  # Shared media library root (your movies, tv, music, etc.)
  - /path/to/media:/data

Replace /path/to/omnilux/data with where you want OmniLux to store its database and config. Replace /path/to/media with the root of your media library.

4. Start OmniLux

docker compose up -d

5. Open the local server

Navigate to http://your-server-ip:4000 in your browser.

6. First-run setup

On first launch you'll be prompted to:

1. Create the local admin account for this server
2. Name the server so it is recognizable in future cloud/account tooling
3. Add a library root that points at the mounted media directory
4. Run the first scan so OmniLux can catalog your content

After the scan completes, your library is ready. Browse, search, and stream your media from any device.

7. Claim the server to your OmniLux account

If you want account-linked features, continue with server claiming:

1. Create or sign in to your OmniLux cloud account
2. Copy the 6-character claim code shown during setup
3. Open the OmniLux dashboard
4. Choose Claim a Server
5. Enter the code

After claiming, the server can participate in:

• Account-based app sign-in
• Invites and shared access
• Billing and subscription-aware features
• Relay and future cloud-connected services

Next steps

• Getting Started for the full account plus server journey
• Docker installation (detailed) for GPU passthrough and networking
• Apps and Sign-In for device access models
• Remote Access for Tailscale, public domains, and relay choices