Install
Download the native app or start Cove with Docker, then open it and create your owner account.
Install
Get Cove running on your own machine
Install Cove as a native app or run it with Docker. Either way, Cove sets itself up the first time you start it, so you can open the app, add your media, and start organizing right away.
Native app
Download Cove for Windows, macOS, or Linux, then run it. The first time you start it, Cove gets everything it needs ready for you automatically. There is nothing to install or configure by hand.
- One download per platform from the latest release.
- Sets itself up on first launch, then opens in your browser.
- Includes an instance manager so you can run and switch between separate Cove libraries from one place.
Docker image
Run Cove from a single image that includes everything it needs. A good fit for a home server or NAS such as UnRAID or Synology, where you want one thing to start and keep running.
docker compose -f docker-compose.allinone.yml up -d- Everything Cove needs in one container.
- Point it at a folder of media and a place to keep your library.
- Best when you already run other apps this way.
Docker Compose
Run Cove and its database as separate pieces. This keeps them easy to manage, upgrade, and back up on their own, which suits people who like more control over their setup.
docker compose up -d- App and database run side by side.
- Mount your media folder and add it as a library path in Cove.
- Best when you want to manage each part separately.
Add media
Point Cove at your library folders and let the first scan build your initial catalog.
Review and organize
Use search, filters, tags, groups, and generated previews to turn a folder of files into a usable library.
Extend when needed
Add downloaders, scrapers, and other extensions once you want Cove to do more than it does out of the box.
Cove handles setup
However you install it, Cove gets the pieces it needs to run and process your media ready for you, applies updates on startup, and keeps your library working across upgrades.
You stay in control
You decide where your library lives, which downloaders and providers are turned on, how Cove is reached on your network, and which extensions are allowed to run.
What to read next
The install guide walks through each path step by step. The user docs cover your first scan, importing an existing library, metadata tools, and sharing.
Working on Cove itself?
If you want to inspect, modify, or build extensions for Cove, run it from source. The developer docs cover local setup and extension development.