Cull Pilot

Cull Pilot is a Vim-inspired browser extension that makes rating photos in Synology Photos fast and efficient. Star, navigate, and curate using just your keyboard — no mouse required.

Keyboard-first metadata assistant for Synology Photos — cull faster, tag smarter, and build dynamic albums.

Install

Available for:

Chrome Web Store

Firefox Add-ons

Features

• Press i to enter insert mode
• Use 0–5 to set star ratings (press the same key again or 0 to clear)
• Navigate photos with h (previous) and l (next)
• Press Esc to exit insert mode
• Overlay shows active mode and real-time feedback
• Automatically opens the info panel if needed

Why Star Ratings Matter

If you're already using tools like Lightroom, you know the power of star ratings. In Synology Photos, these ratings can be used to:

• Build criteria-based albums (e.g. “4 stars and up”)
• Quickly sort through large batches of photos
• Filter and export only your best shots

Cull Pilot helps you apply those ratings quickly and purposefully — directly from the web interface.

Tech Stack

Cull Pilot is built with:

• Vite for development and bundling
• TypeScript for clarity and maintainability
• Web Extension APIs (Chrome/Firefox Manifest V3)
• DOM interaction via content.js (no frameworks)

Build & Run from Source

If you'd like to build the extension locally, here’s how:

1. Clone the repo

git clone https://github.com/deadlypinfish/cullpilot.git
cd cullpilot

2. Install dependencies and build

npm install
npm run build

This creates a production-ready extension bundle in the dist/ directory.

3. Load into Chrome (unpacked)

1. Visit chrome://extensions
2. Enable “Developer Mode” (toggle in top-right)
3. Click “Load unpacked”
4. Select the dist/ folder from this project

See: Official Chrome Guide

You can now open Synology Photos in a tab and start using keyboard shortcuts.

Roadmap

• Tag editing in the info panel
• Configurable keybindings
• Album creation tools

Contributing

Contributions, issues, and suggestions are welcome.

• File an issue
• Submit a pull request
• Suggest new use cases

If you've built a custom fork for a different photo tool, let us know — we may support multiple platforms in the future.

Support

If Cull Pilot saved you time or improved your workflow, you can support the project here

License

This project is licensed under the MPL-2.0 license.