Lossless music collections can consume terabytes while the application stays lightweight.
Large FLAC and archival libraries.Wymagania sprzętowe koel: pamięć RAM, procesor, miejsce na muzykę i bazę danych
Zaplanuj fajny sprzęt pod kątem RAM-u, CPU, PHP, bazy danych, przechowywania muzyki i Dockera, z praktycznymi zaleceniami dotyczącymi niestandardowej instalacji ZimaOS do self-hostingu.
koel requirements at a glance
koel is a Laravel/Vue music server. Current upstream docs specify PHP/database requirements and an official Docker image, but no numerical CPU/RAM/disk minimum.
- RAM
- No numerical official minimum published. PHP-FPM/Laravel, the database and any co-hosted services share host memory.
- CPU
- No numerical official core minimum. Library scanning, metadata work and concurrent streaming create the main CPU activity.
- PHP
- Current server requirements: PHP 8.2 or newer with the required Laravel extensions.
- Database
- koel is tested with MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
- Storage
- No universal official minimum. The music library dominates capacity; database, artwork and backups add smaller overhead.
- Best Zima starting point
- ZimaBoard 2 832 is ample for a small direct-streaming music library; use ZimaCube when the library becomes multi-terabyte.
From official requirements to the right setup
Size koel primarily from music-library capacity and scan/stream activity.
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Official requirements
Use PHP 8.2+ and one of the tested databases, or deploy the official koel Docker image.
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Confirm your needs
Estimate the music library size and whether files are mostly direct-streamed. Original audio storage usually dominates disk capacity.
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Leave room to grow
Plan SSD-backed database/app metadata and durable bulk media storage separately, then add backup capacity.
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Run it on ZimaOS
On ZimaOS, use Install Custom App with the official koel Docker image, mount the music directory, persist application/database data, and map the web service behind HTTPS.
Check every playback client
- Music library size
- Concurrent listeners
- Library scan frequency
- Database choice
- Artwork/metadata growth
- Music mount
- Backup retention
- Other media apps
Official minimum requirements
koel's current Getting Started documentation defines the server software stack but not numerical host hardware minimums.
Do not invent a 1 GB or 2 GB official minimum. For koel, the main sizing variable is the music library plus the normal Laravel/database stack.
| Requirement | Official minimum | What this supports |
|---|---|---|
| RAM minimum | No numerical official minimum published | Depends on PHP/database and co-hosted services. |
| CPU minimum | No numerical official minimum published | Scanning and concurrent streaming drive practical load. |
| Storage minimum | No numerical official minimum published | Music library dominates capacity. |
| PHP | PHP 8.2+ | Current server requirement. |
| Databases | MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL and SQLite | Current tested database options. |
| Container | Official koel/docker image | Current official Docker deployment option. |
When to upgrade your hardware
koel should scale when the music library, scanning or concurrent streaming outgrows the current host.
The library outgrows attached storage
Library scans take too long
More listeners share the server
Metadata/database updates during large scans can increase CPU and disk I/O.
Frequently updated libraries.Concurrent streaming raises network and application/database activity.
Households and small teams.Plan hardware growth with confidence
Scale koel around music capacity and database responsiveness.
Keep database and metadata on SSD
Fast persistent storage improves library scans and application responsiveness.
Use SATA/NVMe on ZimaBoard 2 or SSD tiers on ZimaCube 2.Use ZimaBoard 2 for compact music servers
8 GB is ample for the app/database in normal personal use.
ZimaBoard 2 832.Use multi-drive storage for large music libraries
The media collection, especially lossless audio, usually dominates capacity.
ZimaCube 2 Standard.Use stronger CPU/network for broader media stacks
If koel shares the server with other media apps and many users, stronger general-purpose resources help.
ZimaCube 2 Pro.Can it run on ZimaOS?
koel is not currently confirmed as a public official one-click ZimaOS App Store page in the sources checked for this guide. It can be deployed through Install Custom App using koel's official Docker image.
Custom install koel in ZimaOS
Use Install Custom App with the official koel Docker image, mount your music library and persist the database/application storage.
Custom install koel in the ZimaOS app ↗Use koel's official Docker image
Current upstream documentation lists an official koel/docker image as one supported installation method.
Review koel Docker installation ↗Choose the database based on your stack
koel is currently tested with MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
Review koel server requirements ↗Choose Zima hardware for koel
koel is light enough for ZimaBoard 2; music storage and the wider media stack determine when ZimaCube becomes useful.
Is this a compact personal music server or a large multi-drive media library?
Personal / small music server
Use ZimaBoard 2 with attached media storage.
- Best starting pointZimaBoard 2 832
- More app headroomZimaBoard 2 1664
Large lossless library / broader media NAS
Use ZimaCube for multi-drive capacity and stronger general-purpose resources.
- Storage-first platformZimaCube 2 Standard
- Higher-headroom platformZimaCube 2 Pro
These are workload recommendations, not official simultaneous-stream guarantees.
| Zima hardware | Best for | Example workload | Core configuration | Recommended boundary | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZimaBoard 2 832 | Small personal koel libraries. | koel, SQL/SQLite database, library scans and normal streaming. |
|
Add sufficient external music storage; application compute is unlikely to be the first limit. | Get Now |
| ZimaBoard 2 1664 | koel plus a broader media-app stack. | More co-hosted services and database/cache headroom. |
|
16 GB is whole-host headroom, not an official koel requirement. | Get Now |
| ZimaCube 2 Standard | Large music collections. | koel plus multi-drive FLAC/library storage and backups. |
|
Choose it primarily for storage capacity. | Get Now |
| ZimaCube 2 Pro | Larger shared media servers. | koel plus other media apps, more users and 10GbE-class local networking. |
|
Actual streaming capacity depends on the full media stack. | Get Now |
What the Press Says
Highlights from trusted reviewers worldwide.
“ZimaCube 2: Not just another NAS, tested with 25TB storage, local AI agents, 4K transcoding, and real homelab workflows.”Read full review
“The ZimaBoard 2 is a compact x86 server board that can be turned into a mini NAS, home server, media box, or self-hosting hub.”Read full review
“ZimaCube 2: A modern, high-performance NAS with plenty of room to grow—built for users who want more than basic storage.”Read full review
“Coverage focused on ZimaCube 2's open hardware foundation, no monthly fee, and self-hosting flexibility.”Read full review
Loved by the Community
Stories and reviews from people who build with Zima every day.
★★★★★
Zima Blade Little yet Powerful
Maybe I am not digital natives but I live with PCs since 12 years old in 1984 when IBM PC clone come to my home. Many years have passed and many operating system I've tried. For me Zima blade and CasaOS was a quantum leap for home PC enthusiast and server lab machine to make me stay curious and relevant for this era.
★★★★★
Very good!!
I use ZimaCube Pro as 5th Proxmox cluster node. It runs several VMs and containers, including a VM with GPU passthrough to run a self-hosted LLM. A specific LXC container runs a Samba server for NAS capabilities using four of six RAID 6 SATA HDDs with ZFS.
★★★★★
Great innovation for mini server!
It is very useful and makes a powerful mini server for many purposes, including university and college students in engineering and electronics. Thank you so much for making this server.
★★★★★
Avaliação ZimaBoard 2
Construí um servidor de uso pessoal. O desempenho está muito bom e funciona perfeitamente onde quer que eu esteja. A surpresa é não dependermos de grandes estruturas para termos nosso próprio servidor de dados. Como iniciante, estou gostando bastante do ZimaOS, pois ele é simples e eficiente.
Frequently asked questions
These answers cover koel RAM, CPU, PHP, databases, music storage, Docker and ZimaOS deployment.
How much RAM does koel need?
koel does not publish a numerical official server RAM minimum.
How many CPU cores does koel need?
No numerical official core minimum is published.
Which PHP version does koel need?
Current server requirements specify PHP 8.2 or newer.
Which databases does koel support?
koel is currently tested with MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
How much storage does koel need?
No universal minimum is published; the music library dominates capacity.
Does koel need a GPU?
No dedicated GPU is required for normal music serving.
Can ZimaBoard 2 run koel?
Yes. The 8 GB model is ample for a personal music server with suitable external storage.
Does koel have an official Docker image?
Yes. The current docs list an official koel/docker image.
What sources informed this koel hardware guide?
The guide uses koel's current Getting Started documentation plus current Zima product pages.
