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Media server setup

Path mapping

A symlink is just a file that contains a path. Boomarr writes the path of the original file as Boomarr sees it, and your media server follows that path as it sees it. Both must agree.

Good (same container paths in both containers):

# boomarr
volumes:
  - /srv/data/media:/data/media:ro
  - /srv/data/filtered:/data/filtered
# plex / jellyfin
volumes:
  - /srv/data/media:/data/media:ro
  - /srv/data/filtered:/data/filtered:ro

Bad (different paths): Boomarr creates Film.mkv -> /movies/Film.mkv, but inside the Plex container the file lives at /data/movies/Film.mkv, so the link is broken and Plex shows nothing.

The easiest way to get this right is one parent directory (/data) that is mounted identically everywhere, as recommended by the TRaSH guides.

If your paths cannot be identical, but the source and the output share a common parent in every container, enable relative links:

relative_symlinks: true

A link at /data/filtered/movies-deu/Film/Film.mkv then points to ../../../media/movies/Film/Film.mkv, which works wherever /data (or any other common parent) is mounted. Switching the option rewrites existing links on the next scan.

Plex

  1. Add a new library (e.g. Filme (Deutsch)) pointing at the output folder, e.g. /data/filtered/movies-deu.
  2. Share only that library with the users who need it.
  3. Recommended: Settings → Library → Empty trash automatically after every scan can stay enabled. Boomarr never removes the whole library at once: if the source share is not mounted, the library is skipped and all existing links are kept.
  4. Optional: give the filtered library the same agent/language settings as the original. Watch state is tracked per library item, so it is not shared between the original and the filtered library.

Jellyfin / Emby

  1. Dashboard → Libraries → Add Media Library, folder /data/filtered/movies-deu.
  2. Optionally enable real-time monitoring; Boomarr's changes are picked up like any other file change.
  3. Restrict access per user under Dashboard → Users → Library access.

Subtitles next to a media file (Film.de.srt, Film.en.forced.ass) are linked automatically, see sidecar_extensions.

Sonarr / Radarr

Boomarr only reads your media, so no changes are required. For instant updates after an import, enable the HTTP server and add a webhook. To skip ffprobe entirely for files Sonarr/Radarr already analysed, use the sonarr/radarr probers.

Automatic media server refresh

Instead of waiting for the media server's own schedule or real-time monitoring, Boomarr can ask Plex/Jellyfin/Emby to rescan exactly the folders that changed. See media server refresh.