forked-daapd

Forked-daapd

forked-daapd is an open source networked audio player similar to iTunes and Squeezebox. It runs as a daemon on Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS and plays audio files stored locally or from other sources like AirPlay devices, Spotify, and internet radio streams.
forked-daapd image
audio music player daemon streams airplay spotify

forked-daapd: Open Source Networked Audio Player

forked-daapd is an open source networked audio player similar to iTunes and Squeezebox. It runs as a daemon on Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS and plays audio files stored locally or from other sources like AirPlay devices, Spotify, and internet radio streams.

What is Forked-daapd?

forked-daapd is an open source networked audio player software designed to play audio files stored locally or streamed from other sources. It was originally forked from the Firefly Media Project's mt-daapd codebase and aims to be a modern replacement that adds support for more services and protocols.

As a daemon, forked-daapd runs in the background on Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS platforms. It can play audio files in formats like MP3, AAC, OGG, FLAC, WAV, AIFF from local storage or over the network. It supports protocols like DAAP and AirPlay for streaming from media libraries and compatible devices.

Some key features of forked-daapd include:

  • Native support for various streaming protocols - AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, internet radio stations
  • Multiroom audio with synchronization between players
  • Web-based user interface for administration and playback control
  • Metadata caching for efficient browsing of large libraries
  • On-the-fly audio format transcoding
  • Customizable smart playlists and advanced library queries

With its actively developed codebase and feature set, forked-daapd is a compelling self-hosted alternative to commercial offerings for whole-home audio and media streaming.

Forked-daapd Features

Features

  1. Plays audio files stored locally or streamed over the network
  2. Supports common audio formats like MP3, AAC, OGG, FLAC, WAV
  3. Can discover music libraries on the local network
  4. Web-based user interface for remote control and playback
  5. Supports multi-room audio with synchronization
  6. Supports AirPlay streaming
  7. Supports internet radio and podcasts
  8. Supports Spotify Connect
  9. Supports MPD and iTunes/DAAP clients
  10. Available on Linux, FreeBSD, macOS

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Active development community

Wide protocol and client support

Easy to install and configure

Low resource usage

Cons

Setup can be complex for novice users

Lacks some features of commercial offerings

Dependent on command line for some advanced functions

Not as polished UI as proprietary alternatives


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