Overview
Koel is a personal music streaming application with a PHP/Laravel backend and a Vue.js single-page frontend. It scans a directory of audio files, builds a library with last.fm metadata, and streams them through a polished browser-based player supporting playlists, favorites, and search. It also exposes a Subsonic-compatible API for use with mobile clients. Deployment requires a web server, PHP, and a database (MySQL/PostgreSQL/SQLite).
Where it falls short of Spotify
- Requires PHP runtime and a relational database, adding operational overhead vs. single-binary alternatives.
- No native mobile apps; mobile access relies on third-party Subsonic clients.
- No algorithmic recommendations or social/collaborative features like Spotify.
- Podcast support is absent; music library files only.
We list the gaps honestly so you can decide if the trade-off is worth owning your data.
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