The full guide, with every step, is on filamama.com/install/linux. In short:
Install the tools
On Debian or Ubuntu:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y git curl ffmpeg
On Fedora, the built-in ffmpeg (ffmpeg-free) has no H.264 encoder, which Filamama uses to make playable copies of videos. Use the full build from RPM Fusion.
Then Node.js 26, with nvm:
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.8/install.sh | bash
# open a new terminal, then:
nvm install 26
For iPhone HEIC previews, add libheif's tools: see HEIC photos.
Install the server
In the Filamama folder:
packaging/install.sh --dry-run # checks everything, changes nothing
packaging/install.sh
This builds the server and the web app, writes your settings, installs a systemd user service and starts it. The options are the same as on a Mac: --data-dir, --originals-dir, --port (5400 by default), --no-service and --dry-run.
Keep it running, open the firewall
sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER
Filamama needs TCP port 5400 (the web app and backups) and UDP port 5353 (mDNS, how phones find the server). With ufw:
sudo ufw allow 5400/tcp
sudo ufw allow 5353/udp
Don't forward port 5400 on your router. Then: Your first visit.