Forge Server

What is Forge?

Forge is a self-hosted Node.js/Express REST API server designed to run on TrueNAS SCALE as a Docker container. It provides automatic photo backups from Android devices and a web-based family gallery for sharing memories.

Key Features

• Private Backups: Store photos, videos, and documents on your own hardware
• Family Gallery: Share photos with family members with likes and comments
• Face Detection: AI-powered face recognition for automatic photo organization
• Albums: Create and manage photo albums
• REST API: JWT-authenticated endpoints for Android app integration
• Web Portal: Browser-based access for browsing and managing photos
• Admin Panel: User and family management, system statistics
• TrueNAS Integration: Remote container updates via TrueNAS API

System Requirements

• TrueNAS SCALE (or any Docker-capable server)
• Minimum 2GB RAM recommended
• Storage space for photo backups (varies by usage)
• Network access for Android app connections

Quick Start Guide

1. Pull Docker Image

docker pull ghcr.io/brwalknels/forge:latest

2. Create Required Directories

mkdir -p /mnt/tank/Forge/{private,metadata,gallery,data,logs}

3. Generate JWT Secret

openssl rand -hex 32

4. Deploy Container

Use the docker-compose.yml file from the repository or deploy via TrueNAS SCALE Apps GUI:

• Map port 3000:3000
• Mount volumes for data persistence
• Set environment variables (JWT_SECRET, STORAGE_PATH, etc.)
• Configure network settings

5. Create Admin Account

docker exec -it forge node dist/create-admin.js

6. Access Web Portal

Navigate to http://your-server-ip:3000 and login with your admin credentials.