Super Simple Photo Album

EARLY DEVELOPMENT STAGE - USE WITH CAUTION

This project is in early development and may contain bugs or incomplete features. Use at your own risk.

Development Status: Active development is intermittent. Features and bug fixes are implemented at my own pace, as time permits. Please be aware that updates may be infrequent.

Design Philosophy: Intentionally Minimalist

This project embraces a deliberately simple design, prioritizing ease of use for small-scale, private photo albums. Key decisions reflect this philosophy:

• Database-Free Data Storage: To minimize complexity and dependencies, data is stored in JSON and JSON Lines files, eliminating the need for a database. This approach is well-suited for personal use and small collections.
• Command-Line User Management: User registration is handled exclusively via the command-line interface. This choice streamlines setup and enhances security by avoiding web-based registration vulnerabilities.
• Configuration by Convention: A settings page is intentionally omitted. Configuration is achieved through file naming conventions (e.g., .hidden, .private) and direct file manipulation. This design promotes a self-contained and transparent system.

These design choices prioritize simplicity and security for private photo album management. While they may limit scalability or certain features, they create a lightweight and manageable solution for personal use.

Usage

1. Installation:

   uv sync

2. Configure Environment Variables:

   Initialize the environment variables

   uv run python -m photos.main init
   

   Answer the prompt to setup the running environment

3. Create Data Directory:

   mkdir data

4. Add Photo Albums:

   Move your photo album folders into the data directory.

   mv $YOUR_PHOTO_ALBUM data

   • Hidden Albums: To hide an album from the public listing (accessible via direct link), rename the album folder with the .hidden suffix. Example: MyVacation.hidden.
   • Private Albums: To restrict access to an album requiring login, rename the album folder with the .private suffix. Example: FamilyPhotos.private.

5. Generate Album Index:

   uv run python -m photos.main index

6. Create User Account:

   uv run python -m photos.main register $USERNAME

   Follow the prompts to set up a password for the new user.

7. Build Frontend:

   yarn install && yarn build2

8. Start Web Server:

   uv uvicorn photos.web:app --reload