How to Self-Host Ampache with Docker Compose

What Is Ampache?

Ampache is a web-based audio/video streaming application and file manager. It’s one of the oldest self-hosted music servers, first released in 2001. Ampache supports multiple music catalogs, the Subsonic API for mobile clients, podcast management, video streaming, and multi-user access with granular permissions. It’s PHP-based and uses MySQL/MariaDB for metadata storage.

Prerequisites

A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
Docker and Docker Compose installed (guide)
512 MB+ of free RAM
A music library in common audio formats
A domain name (optional, for remote access)

Docker Compose Configuration

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  ampache:
    image: ampache/ampache:7.9.0
    container_name: ampache
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:80"  # Web UI
    environment:
      TZ: America/New_York  # CHANGE: Your timezone
    volumes:
      - ampache-config:/var/www/config
      - ampache-data:/media
      - ampache-log:/var/log/ampache
      - /path/to/music:/media/music:ro  # CHANGE: Your music library
    depends_on:
      ampache-db:
        condition: service_healthy
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:80"]
      interval: 30s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 3

  ampache-db:
    image: mariadb:11
    container_name: ampache-db
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: your-root-password      # CHANGE: Use a strong password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: ampache
      MYSQL_USER: ampache
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: your-secure-db-password      # CHANGE: Use a strong password
    volumes:
      - ampache-db-data:/var/lib/mysql
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "healthcheck.sh", "--connect", "--innodb_initialized"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 5

volumes:
  ampache-config:
  ampache-data:
  ampache-log:
  ampache-db-data:

Configuration notes:

Ampache v7.9.0 is the latest stable release (Feb 19, 2026). PHP 8.4 support included.
MariaDB is required for catalog metadata, user accounts, playlists, and play statistics.
Mount music as read-only (:ro) — Ampache reads but doesn’t modify your music files.
Multiple catalog directories can be added via the web UI after initial setup.

Start the stack:

docker compose up -d

Initial Setup

Open http://your-server:8080 in your browser
The web installer will guide you through setup:
- Choose Language: Select your preferred language
- Database Connection:
  - Type: MySQL/MariaDB
  - Host: ampache-db
  - Port: 3306
  - Database: ampache
  - Username: ampache
  - Password: Your MYSQL_PASSWORD from docker-compose
- Create Admin Account: Set username and password
- Ampache Configuration: Set site name, catalog paths
After setup, log in with your admin credentials
Add a music catalog:
- Go to Admin → Catalogs → Add Catalog
- Catalog Type: Local
- Path: /media/music (the mount point from docker-compose)
- Click Add Catalog then Run Catalog Update
The catalog scan reads ID3 tags and indexes your library

Configuration

Subsonic API

Ampache supports the Subsonic API, enabling use with mobile apps like DSub, Symfonium, play:Sub, and Substreamer:

Go to Admin → System Settings → Subsonic
Enable the Subsonic backend
Each user needs a Subsonic API password (separate from their Ampache password):
- Go to user settings → set Subsonic API password
Connect mobile apps with:
- Server: http://your-server:8080
- Username: Ampache username
- Password: Subsonic API password

Multiple Catalogs

Ampache supports multiple music catalogs — useful for separating different collections:

Go to Admin → Catalogs → Add Catalog
Add catalogs for different directories (music, podcasts, audiobooks, videos)
Each catalog can have different scan settings and access permissions

User Management

Create users with different access levels:

Access Level	Permissions
Guest	Stream only, no library browsing
User	Browse, stream, create playlists
Manager	User + manage catalogs
Admin	Full administrative access

Go to Admin → Users to manage accounts.

Transcoding

Ampache can transcode audio on the fly using FFmpeg:

Verify FFmpeg is available:

docker exec ampache ffmpeg -version

Go to Admin → Transcoding → configure transcode profiles
Set default bitrate for streaming (128kbps, 192kbps, 320kbps)
Enable per-user transcode settings if users have different bandwidth

Advanced Configuration (Optional)

External Catalogs

Ampache supports remote catalogs:

Subsonic Remote: Connect to another Subsonic/Ampache server
Seafile: Stream from a Seafile library
WebDAV: Mount remote storage as a catalog

Podcast Support

Go to Browse → Podcasts → Add Podcast
Enter the podcast RSS feed URL
Ampache downloads and manages episodes
Set auto-download preferences per podcast

Video Support

Ampache can catalog and stream video files:

Add a catalog pointing to a video directory
Set catalog type to “Video”
Videos appear in Browse → Video and can be streamed through the web UI

Smart Playlists

Create dynamic playlists based on rules:

Go to Playlists → Smart Playlists → Create
Set rules (genre, year, play count, rating, recently added)
Smart playlists update automatically as your library changes

Reverse Proxy

For Nginx Proxy Manager:

Scheme: http
Forward Hostname: ampache
Forward Port: 80

No special configuration needed. Ensure your ampache.cfg.php has the correct web_path and http_host settings if behind a reverse proxy.

See Reverse Proxy Setup for detailed instructions.

Backup

Critical data to back up:

MariaDB database: Catalog metadata, users, playlists, play counts, ratings
/var/www/config/: Ampache configuration (ampache.cfg.php)

# Backup database
docker exec ampache-db mysqldump -u ampache -p'your-password' ampache > ampache-backup.sql

# Backup config
docker cp ampache:/var/www/config ./ampache-config-backup/

Your music files are mounted read-only — back them up separately.

See Backup Strategy for a comprehensive backup approach.

Troubleshooting

Catalog scan finds no files

Symptom: Catalog update completes but library shows zero tracks. Fix: Verify the music path is mounted correctly inside the container:

docker exec ampache ls -la /media/music/

Check that files have proper ID3 tags. Ampache relies on metadata — files without tags may be skipped. Verify the catalog path matches exactly.

Subsonic API not working

Symptom: Mobile apps can’t connect or show empty library. Fix: Ensure the Subsonic backend is enabled in Admin settings. Verify the user has a Subsonic API password set (it’s separate from the login password). Check that the API URL includes the correct port.

Slow catalog scan

Symptom: Scanning 10,000+ files takes a very long time. Fix: This is normal for the first scan. Subsequent incremental scans are much faster. Increase PHP memory limit if you get timeout errors. Check that the disk containing your music library has good read performance.

Album art not displaying

Symptom: Albums show generic placeholder art. Fix: Ampache reads embedded album art from ID3 tags. If your files don’t have embedded art, Ampache can fetch it from external sources. Go to Admin → Settings → enable art fetching from Last.fm, MusicBrainz, or folder images.

Resource Requirements

RAM: 200-400 MB (Ampache + PHP). Plus 200-400 MB for MariaDB. Total: ~400-800 MB.
CPU: Low for streaming. Moderate during catalog scans and transcoding.
Disk: Application data is small. Your music library is the main storage consumer.

Verdict

Ampache is a veteran music server with features that newer alternatives lack: video support, podcast management, remote catalogs, and granular user permissions. Its Subsonic API support gives you access to the mobile app ecosystem. The 20+ years of development show in the breadth of features.

However, the web UI feels dated compared to Koel or Navidrome’s interfaces, and the PHP/MySQL stack is heavier than Navidrome’s Go binary. For most self-hosters who just want to stream their music library, Navidrome is the simpler, lighter choice. Choose Ampache if you need its specific features: video catalogs, podcast management, remote catalogs, or detailed user permission controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Ampache compare to Navidrome?

Ampache has more features (video, podcasts, remote catalogs) but is heavier and has an older UI. Navidrome is lighter, faster, and has a cleaner interface. Both support the Subsonic API. See Koel vs Navidrome for a related comparison.

Can Ampache stream video?

Yes. Ampache can catalog and stream video files through its web UI. This is a unique feature — most self-hosted music servers are audio-only. For dedicated video, Jellyfin is more capable.

Is Ampache still actively developed?

Yes. Ampache v7.9.0 was released February 19, 2026 with PHP 8.5 support and new API features. The project has been continuously maintained since 2001.