Facet
What it is
Facet is a free tool for scoring, culling, organizing and browsing photo libraries stored on a user's machine. It runs without cloud services, accounts or API keys. Its scoring evaluates nine dimensions, including composition, sharpness, color, exposure, face quality, subject saliency and dynamic range. Facet detects bursts, similar photos, blinks and duplicates, and offers a dry-run preview before automatic culling. The web gallery includes semantic search, filters, timeline and map views, albums and themed slideshows. Face tools group people and support searching, renaming, merging and organizing those groups. Metadata interoperability with Lightroom, Capture One, digiKam and darktable uses XMP sidecars. Users can upload photos to a built-in WebDAV inbox or share revocable album links that do not require recipient logins; proofing supports hearts and comments, with an optional PIN. Core scoring, face detection, culling, gallery, search, albums and metadata export work on CPU, while an NVIDIA GPU unlocks additional models and features. Facet can be installed with Docker or natively on Linux and macOS, and requires Python.
For and against
For
- Runs locally without cloud, accounts or API keys.
- Scores photos across nine dimensions.
- Detects bursts, blinks, similar images and duplicates.
- Album links can be revoked and need no recipient login.
- Core features work on CPU.
Against
- Does not provide RAW editing or development.
- No mobile app or cloud backup.
- Setup requires Python.
- An NVIDIA GPU unlocks additional models and features.
The verdict
Facet offers a broad local workflow for photo selection, organization and sharing. Its limits are clear: it does not edit RAW files, provide cloud backup or include a mobile app.
Who it suits
Facet suits people with large local photo libraries who want to find strong images and remove bursts or near-duplicates. It is also suited to users who want local processing and do not need RAW editing or cloud backup.
Plans and prices
Free
local processing · self-hosted gallery · no cloud account or subscription
Read 15 Oct 2026 · ncoevoet.github.io
Facet
Free and local · no cloud, accounts, or subscriptions
Read 28 Sep 2026 · github.com
On the record
- API extensibility
- The documentation describes configurable plugins and a Prometheus metrics endpoint that can be enabled through configuration.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The maker describes Facet as a fit for people with large local libraries who want to find top shots and cull bursts and near-duplicates.github.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Burst culling
- Facet groups rapid-fire shots and recommends keepers using quality, sharpness, and blink signals.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Community technical description
- A Reddit project post describes Facet as a free open-source Python tool using multiple vision models, a web gallery, face clustering, semantic tagging, and GPU-profile detection.reddit.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Culling
- It detects bursts, similar photos, blinks, and duplicates, and provides auto-culling with a dry-run preview.github.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Documentation depth
- The project publishes separate guides for installation, commands, configuration, scoring, faces, viewer use, interoperability, Immich, and deployment.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Face recognition
- The gallery detects faces, clusters people, supports naming and merging, and provides blink and expression indicators.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Gallery
- The gallery includes natural-language semantic search, filters, timeline, map, albums, and themed slideshows.github.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Gallery views
- The web interface includes mosaic and grid galleries, timeline, map, folders, albums, memories, slideshows, and themed capsules.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Hardware
- Core scoring, face detection, culling, gallery, search, albums, and metadata export work on CPU without a GPU; an NVIDIA GPU unlocks additional models and features.github.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Hardware profiles
- Profiles cover CPU-only legacy mode, NVIDIA GPUs with 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB VRAM, and automatic Apple Silicon sizing.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Independent directory description
- Localhosted lists Facet as a self-hosted AI photo manager that runs on CPU or GPU without cloud services or accounts.localhosted.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Independent directory metadata
- Localhosted reports Facet as MIT licensed, with Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker, and web availability, and recorded 288 repository stars when fetched on 15 October 2026.localhosted.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Docker is supported on Windows, macOS, and Linux, while native installation is documented for Linux and macOS.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- XMP sidecars connect Facet with Lightroom, darktable, digiKam, Capture One, and Immich workflows.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Licence
- The repository distributes Facet under the MIT License, permitting reuse, modification, distribution, sublicensing, and sale subject to the notice.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- License
- Facet is distributed under the MIT license.github.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Lightroom plugin
- The bundled Lightroom Classic plugin exchanges ratings, flags, metadata, burst decisions, and collection information through a manifest.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
