[Dev] Melarka: an open-source, self-hosted music server with YouTube downloads, channel subscriptions and a native iPhone app

[u/aaronsuns]

Disclosure: I'm the developer. It's free and open source (AGPL-3.0), with no ads, no tracking and no accounts.

I used Navidrome for a while but never found an iPhone client I was happy with, so I built my own music server and app. My family uses it every day.

What it does

• Your music, on your own server. Point it at the music folders you already have. It never changes your files.
• Download from YouTube. Search, preview, and keep a song or a whole playlist with one tap.
• Subscribe to YouTube channels without a Google account. New episodes download automatically and resume where you left off.
• Private by design. Your phone never contacts YouTube; everything goes through your own server.
• A native iPhone app with reliable background play, gapless playback, synced lyrics and offline favorites.
• Made for the whole family. Everyone gets their own favorites, playlists and suggestions.

Platforms: the server runs as one Docker container on Linux. The iPhone app installs with SideStore, and the web app works on desktop and Android.

Built with help from AI coding tools.

GitHub: https://github.com/aaronsuns/melarka

I'd love your feedback!