Features

This page describes the current product surfaces and what each one is responsible for.

Desktop Hub

The desktop app is the source of truth for the product.

Library and ingest

add one or more local music folders
scan and index tracks, artists, albums, and artwork
keep the library database up to date as folders change

Library management

browse tracks, albums, artists, playlists, saved items, and folders
upload playlist cover images
keep a shared playback session/history for desktop and mobile

Playlist workflows

import Rekordbox XML
import M3U / M3U8 / XSPF playlists
import Traktor NML
import Apple Music / iTunes XML
import Serato local crates and smart crates
review inferred folder roots before exposing new trees in Folders
detect missing playlist files and relocate them explicitly
import playlists from the desktop playlist view or folder workflows
reorder playlist tracks directly in the desktop playlist screen

Collaborative playlists

You can turn a normal desktop playlist into a collaborative playlist and invite another Music Hub.

The current flow is:

create or open a normal playlist
choose Make collaborative
copy the invite link
send it to another Music Hub owner
the other hub accepts the invite from desktop or mobile

After a hub joins, both hubs can sync playlist changes. Track playback still follows the personal-hub model: your phone talks to your own hub, and your hub talks to the source hub when it needs a shared track.

Admins can invite, revoke, and promote members. Members can read and edit playlist content when their hub has the right permissions.

Track notes and DJ metadata

Desktop now supports more context around tracks:

add notes to a track from the track detail view
add notes to a track inside a playlist without affecting the same track elsewhere
show imported DJ metadata such as BPM, key, cue/loop counts, and waveform availability when that data exists
keep background analysis/import activity visible while the hub is working

Playback

direct streaming where the format/path allows it
HLS when a more compatible or remote-safe path is needed
shared playback session and queue across surfaces

Pairing, remote, and sharing

QR pairing and mobile deep links
HTTPS pairing share links for chat apps
Cloudflare remote access
embedded Tailscale remote access
public share pages for tracks, albums, artists, and playlists

Public share pages (standalone)

Share links open a standalone web UI (not the full desktop shell in the browser):

Paths: /share/playlist/:id, /share/album/:id, /share/artist/:id, /share/track/:id
Header: “Music Hub” on the left; on the right, a hub pill shows the hub display name from the share bootstrap API.
Hub pill: clicking it opens a short explainer whose copy and CTAs match the static splash the hub serves at its public root URL when Public web access is set to Shared pages only (standalone_only): it tells visitors to ask whoever runs that hub for a share link, then Want to host your own library? → Get Music Hub → music-hub.gordo.design (opens in a new tab), plus a line for docs/downloads/setup on the same site.
The pill is shown only in the header on these pages (not repeated in the page body).

See also Pairing & Remote for how the public base URL behaves vs /share/....

Licensing

remote access is gated by a desktop license
LAN / Wi-Fi usage remains available without remote entitlement
desktop verifies signed entitlements before keeping remote unlocked

Diagnostics and support

The desktop hub includes an integrated diagnostics suite for troubleshooting and crash reporting:

Standard log files: macOS ~/Library/Logs/Music Hub/ (main.log, desktop.log)
Config and DB: ~/.music-hub/config.json and ~/.music-hub/music.db
Opt-in upload: Settings toggle to send diagnostics automatically
Crash reports: Prompt-based upload that works even when the opt-in toggle is off
No music data is uploaded: Diagnostics payloads contain logs, system info, and hub state — never your music files or database

Library indexing status

The sidebar shows a live indexing banner while the hub scans new folders or enriches tags in the background. It distinguishes between:

Scanning library — active folder scan
Enriching tags in background — pending metadata enrichment jobs
Offline folders — disconnected folder roots

Docker Server

Run Music Hub on any Linux server, NAS, or seedbox. The Docker image includes everything you need — no desktop computer required.

one command to start: curl -O https://music-hub.gordo.design/docker-compose.yml && docker compose up -d
add music folders from the web interface
same library, playback, and phone pairing as the desktop app
remote access available with a paid license

Mobile Companion

The mobile app is the paired client for the hub. iOS is distributed through TestFlight; Android is currently in closed beta through Google Play testing.

Browse and play

home sections
tracks
albums
artists
playlists
files/folders view
now playing and queue

Connect

scan QR from desktop
open a pairing share link sent through chat/email
manual connect when needed
keep auth refreshed per saved hub

Route switching

prefer local Wi-Fi when available
fall back to Tailscale or public remote when available
surface license required for remote as a product message instead of a generic network failure

Landing and Buyer Flow

The landing site is part of the product because it currently owns the paid remote access flow and recovery.

local free vs paid remote plans
post-purchase handoff
recovery portal for re-downloads
license issuance and onboarding email

What Is Public Today

Desktop hub app
Docker server (NAS, seedbox, Linux)
iOS companion app
Android companion app in closed beta
Wi-Fi playback
remote playback with a valid desktop entitlement
public share pages

Current paid launch options

Local Free
Remote Monthly at $3/month
Remote Lifetime Early Bird at $99 with a normal $149 reference price

What Is Not Public Yet

ready-made Windows desktop installer
ready-made Linux desktop installer
open public Android distribution
full multi-hub / shared-hub product surface

Relay (repository)

The music-hub-relay (opens in a new tab) repository holds code for a managed relay (hosted tunnel path) as an alternative to configuring Cloudflare or Tailscale yourself on the hub.

It is not part of the current paid launch surface area; pricing and copy still assume sovereign remote until managed relay ships.
In a full source checkout from the umbrella repo music-hub-parent (opens in a new tab), it appears as the relay/ submodule. See Building § Relay for clone/update commands.

Docker Setup Pairing & Remote