FAQ

FAQ

Do I need an email server?

No. Client "save my selections" uses a magic link (URL + QR) and needs no SMTP. SMTP is optional — set it up in Settings → Email if you want a notification when a new contact-form inquiry comes in. Without it, inquiries still land in the admin inbox; you just have to check it yourself.

Does Google Analytics see what clients do in their galleries?

Only if you turn on both things: pasting a GA snippet in Settings → Analytics, and separately checking "Also send custom events" there (off by default). Even then, client-gallery events send the gallery's opaque ID, never its title, slug, or a linked client's name — and nothing fires until the visitor accepts the cookie-consent banner.

Do I need cloud storage or a CDN?

No. Photos and the SQLite database live under DATA_DIR on your host. The app is self-contained — no external CDN/font/script requests from pages.

Why won’t passkeys register?

Passkeys need a secure origin (HTTPS) and a matching BASE_URL. Serve Albm behind a reverse proxy with TLS, set BASE_URL to that https URL, and optionally set RP_ID if you need to override the WebAuthn RP ID.

Where is my data?

Everything is under DATA_DIR (in Docker, the gallery-data volume mounted at /data): database, photos, watermarks, and migration backups. Back that directory up.

How do I update?

docker compose pull && docker compose up -d

Migrations run on boot after backing up the DB. See Deployment.

Can clients create accounts?

No. Albm is single-admin. Clients open unguessable gallery links (optionally password/PIN protected). The admin-side Clients page (Admin → Clients) is a different thing — an optional record you keep per client (name, notes, tags, which galleries are theirs), not a login clients use.

Are event features always on?

No. Live upload, bib search, face match, forensic watermark, and the public event page are off by default per gallery. Turn on only what you need — see Features.

How do I push from Lightroom or Capture One?

Create an upload token in admin and POST to the publish endpoint. See Publish API.

Is there a health endpoint for monitoring?

Yes: GET /api/health returns { ok: true } when the DB is readable. See Deployment.

What license is Albm under?

AGPL-3.0-only. A modified version run as a network service must make its source available (AGPL network clause).

Where else should I look?

• Home — wiki table of contents
• SECURITY.md
• Releases