Run Your Own Netflix with Jellyfin

Ever wanted to stream your personal media library without paying for yet another subscription? Jellyfin lets you do exactly that—self-hosted, open-source, and completely free. No ads, no tracking, just your movies, TV shows, and music, available anywhere.

What It Does

Jellyfin is a free and open-source media server that organizes and streams your personal collection. Think of it as a self-hosted Netflix or Plex alternative—but without the licensing fees or vendor lock-in. It supports:

• Movies, TV shows, music, and photos
• Live TV and DVR (with compatible tuners)
• Multi-device playback (web, mobile, smart TVs)
• User management with parental controls

Why It’s Cool

Unlike proprietary alternatives, Jellyfin is fully transparent:

• No telemetry or forced logins – Your data stays yours.
• Plugin ecosystem – Extend functionality with community-built add-ons.
• Cross-platform – Runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, even a Raspberry Pi.
• Active development – With 42k+ GitHub stars and regular updates, it’s a thriving project.

How to Try It

1. Install the server:

   # Docker example  
   docker run -d -p 8096:8096 jellyfin/jellyfin  
   

   Or grab native installers from jellyfin.org.

2. Add your media – Point Jellyfin to your movie/TV folders.

3. Stream anywhere – Access via browser, mobile app, or compatible clients (Fire TV, Roku, etc.).

Final Thoughts

Jellyfin is perfect for devs who want control over their media without corporate middlemen. It’s not quite as polished as Plex, but the trade-off in privacy and freedom is worth it. If you’ve got a spare machine (or a NAS), give it a spin.

Got thoughts on self-hosted media? Hit us up @githubprojects.