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Setting Up Jellyfin on Ubuntu with Docker

This guide details the installation of Jellyfin, a free and open-source media solution, on Ubuntu using Docker. Docker simplifies application deployment by containerizing components, resulting in easier management and isolation from the system environment.

Prerequisites​

Installation Steps​

Step 1: Update Your System​

Ensure your system is up-to-date by running:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Create Directory for Jellyfin Files and Enter the Directory​

sudo mkdir /var/docker && sudo mkdir /var/docker/jellyfin && cd /var/docker/jellyfin

Step 3: Create a Docker Compose file for Jellyfin​

sudo nano docker-compose.yaml
Modify the Highlighted lines
name: jellyfin

services:
  jellyfin:
    image: jellyfin/jellyfin
    container_name: jellyfin
    network_mode: 'host'
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
      - ./cache:/cache
      - type: bind
        # Path on the Host
        source: /path/to/media
        # Path the Container sees
        target: /media
        read_only: true
      - type: bind
        source: /path/to/media2
        target: /media2
        read_only: true
      # Optional - extra fonts to be used during transcoding with subtitle burn-in
      #- type: bind
      #  source: /path/to/fonts
      #  target: /usr/local/share/fonts/custom
      #  read_only: true
    restart: 'unless-stopped'
    # Optional - alternative address used for autodiscovery
    environment:
      - JELLYFIN_PublishedServerUrl=http://example.com
    # Optional - may be necessary for docker healthcheck to pass if running in host network mode
    extra_hosts:
      - 'host.docker.internal:host-gateway'

Replace ./config, /path/to/cache, and /path/to/media with your preferred directories on your host system. By default, ./config and ./cache will be created in the same directory as the docker-compose.yaml file.

Start the Stack with the following command:

sudo docker compose up -d

The -d flag tells it to run in the background

Step 4: Accessing Jellyfin​

Once the container is running, access Jellyfin by navigating to:

http://your-server-ip:8096

If you're running this locally, you can use http://localhost:8096.

Step 5: Complete the Jellyfin Setup Wizard​

Upon accessing Jellyfin for the first time, the setup wizard will guide you through the initial configuration, including creating an administrator account and setting up your media libraries.

Additional Configurations​

  • HTTPS: For secure access, consider setting up a reverse proxy with HTTPS. Utilize Docker images like nginx or traefik for this purpose.
  • Data Persistence: The volume mappings in the docker run command ensure that your configuration and media remain persistent across container restarts.
  • Updates: To update Jellyfin, pull the latest Docker image and recreate the container.

Conclusion​

Deploying Jellyfin on Ubuntu using Docker provides a flexible and straightforward method to set up a personal media server. By following this guide, you have created an isolated Jellyfin instance capable of serving your media collection consistently across devices.

Docker's encapsulation allows for easy scaling, updates, and maintenance without impacting your host system's configuration, making it an ideal choice for users seeking efficient media server management.

Resources​


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