analogarchivejs

Setup Instructions v4.1.3

What is this? A self-hosted music streaming server that works entirely with local files. No database, no tracking, completely private.

What You'll Need

Docker Desktop - Download from docker.com
Your music files - MP3, FLAC, or M4B formats
Terminal/Command line - Built into Mac/Linux, or PowerShell on Windows
(Optional) Backblaze B2 account - Only needed for cloud storage features

Step 1: Download the Project

Download the latest release from GitHub and extract it to a folder on your computer.

Download the latest release from GitHub

Step 2: Set Up Your Configuration

First, copy the example configuration file to create your own .env file:

cp .env.example .env

Now open the .env file in a text editor and update the paths:

Example .env configuration file

Required Settings:

MUSIC_DIRECTORY=./music
PORT=55557
SSL_KEY_PATH=./sslcert/key.pem
SSL_CERT_PATH=./sslcert/cert.pem
HOST_MUSIC_PATH=/Users/yourusername/Downloads/analogarchivejs-4.1.3/music

Important: Change HOST_MUSIC_PATH to the actual full path where your music folder is located on your computer!

Optional B2 Settings (for cloud storage):

B2_APPLICATION_KEY_ID=your_key_id
B2_APPLICATION_KEY=your_key
B2_BUCKET_NAME=your_bucket_name

You can leave these blank if you're only using local files.

Step 3: Add Your Music

Create a music folder in the project directory and add your music files. You can organize them however you want - the app will find them all.

Example project structure with music folder

Step 4: Start Docker Desktop

Open Docker Desktop and make sure it's running. You'll see the Docker icon in your menu bar/system tray.

Important: Docker Desktop must be running before you can use docker-compose commands!

Step 5: Build and Start

Open Terminal (Mac/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows), navigate to the project folder, and run:

docker-compose up -d

This will build everything and start the server. First time takes a few minutes.

Docker building and starting the container

Step 6: Verify It's Running

Open Docker Desktop and check that the container is running:

Docker Desktop showing running container

Container running in Docker Desktop

Step 7: Open the App

Open your browser and go to:

https://localhost:55557

You'll see a security warning - this is normal because we're using a self-signed certificate. Click "Advanced" and then "Proceed" to continue.

The app running with your music library

Using the App

Playing Music

Click any song to start playing. The player shows album art, song info, and playback controls.

Music player at https://localhost:55557/analog with metadata and album artwork

Searching Your Library

Use the search box at the top to filter by song name, artist, album, or folder. It updates as you type.

Playback Speed

Adjust the speed slider to play faster or slower (useful for audiobooks or learning).

Available Endpoints

https://localhost:55557/ - Your local music files
https://localhost:55557/analog - B2 cloud "analog" folder (requires B2 setup)
https://localhost:55557/live - B2 cloud "live" folder (requires B2 setup)
https://localhost:55557/rescan - Manually rescan music library

The https://localhost:55557/live endpoint showing cloud-stored files

Managing the Server

Stop the server:

docker-compose down

Restart the server:

docker-compose restart

View logs:

docker-compose logs -f

Rebuild after making changes:

docker-compose up -d --build

Troubleshooting

No music showing up?

Check that HOST_MUSIC_PATH and MUSIC_DIRECTORY in .env are the correct full paths
Make sure your music files are .mp3, .flac, or .m4b
Visit https://localhost:55557/rescan to manually trigger a rescan

Container won't start?

Make sure Docker Desktop is running
Check if port 55557 is already in use
Run docker-compose logs to see error messages

Browser won't connect?

Make sure you're using https:// not http://
Click through the security warning (it's safe - it's your own server)
Try restarting the container

Privacy & Security

No database - Everything runs in memory, nothing is permanently stored
No tracking - No analytics, cookies, or external requests
Completely local - Works offline with local files
You control everything - Self-hosted on your own machine
Encrypted connections - HTTPS only

Need Help?

Visit the project on GitHub: github.com/jaemzware/analogarchivejs

Enjoy your private music streaming! 🎵