Directory Overview
The following overview describes the most important files and folders used by PhotoPrism:
Originals¶
Your original photo and video media files are stored in the originals folder. If read-only mode is disabled, new files can be added using the web upload dialog, the import functionality, or by mounting the folder via WebDAV. PhotoPrism will generally not move, rename, or otherwise modify the files in this folder unless a user requests it. The path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_ORIGINALS_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
Storage¶
Unless you have a custom configuration, the storage folder is used to read and write config, cache, backup, thumbnail, and sidecar files. We recommend not configuring the storage folder inside the originals folder unless its name starts with . so it remains hidden. The path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_STORAGE_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
Cache¶
This folder contains the subdirectories json and thumbnails for storing ExifTool JSON files and thumbnail images. The path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_CACHE_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
JSON¶
Unless you have disabled ExifTool in Settings > Advanced, it may create JSON files with file metadata in this directory, for example when indexing or importing new files.
Thumbnails¶
PhotoPrism creates thumbnails in different sizes for each photo. They are stored in the thumbnails directory. More information can be found in Preview Images.
Sidecar¶
The sidecar folder contains YAML backup files for your photo metadata as well as, for example, automatically generated JPEG versions of RAW images. Both can be configured in Settings > Advanced. The path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_SIDECAR_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
Config¶
The config folder contains configuration files and certificates. Its path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_CONFIG_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
Backup¶
The backup folder contains database dumps as well as album backup files. By default, it is located in the storage folder. Its path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_BACKUP_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
Import¶
The import feature lets you transfer files from the import folder to the originals folder. Duplicates are automatically skipped, and the imported files are given unique file paths based on their content and metadata. The base path of the import directory can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_IMPORT_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
Database¶
If you are using MariaDB or another dedicated database server instead of SQLite, it stores its data in a separate database folder whose location depends on your configuration, for example in the mariadb service section of your compose.yaml file.
Temp¶
Uploads, downloads, and other temporary files may be created in the temp folder. The path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_TEMP_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.
Assets¶
The assets folder contains static resources such as machine learning models, icons, and templates. Its path can be changed using the environment variable PHOTOPRISM_ASSETS_PATH, the corresponding CLI flag, or a YAML configuration file.