dawarich
Dawarich is a self-hosted Ruby web application that replaces Google Location History, allowing users to track, visualize, and analyze their location data on interactive maps. It supports multiple location sources (OwnTracks, GPSLogger, Home Assistant, iOS/Android apps), family sharing, trip planning, and integration with photo management tools like Immich and Photoprism.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | Freika/dawarich |
| Owner | Freika |
| Primary language | Ruby |
| License | AGPL-3.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 9.6k |
| Forks | 321 |
| Open issues | 139 |
| Latest release | 1.9.2 (2026-06-25) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-07 |
| Source | https://github.com/Freika/dawarich |
What dawarich is
Built in Ruby with Docker deployment, Dawarich processes GPS data ingestion from multiple sources, stores location history in a database, and serves a web UI with map visualization (heatmaps, point/line layers, Fog of War). It integrates with photo EXIF data and supports data import/export in GeoJSON and GPX formats.
Get the dawarich source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/Freika/dawarich.gitcd dawarich# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Mandatory backup before each upgrade; project explicitly discourages automatic updates due to breaking changes. Plan for downtime during version transitions.
- Location tracking setup requires configuring at least one supported app (OwnTracks, GPSLogger, Home Assistant, or native iOS/Android). Verify app/platform compatibility before deployment.
- Database persistence must be configured via Docker volumes or external storage; loss of database means loss of all historical location data.
- Reverse proxy setup recommended for production use; documentation exists but requires basic networking knowledge.
- EXIF integration with Immich/Photoprism requires separate credential management and pre-existing photo library infrastructure.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Need Guaranteed Uptime & Production SLA — Project is under active development with explicit warnings against automatic updates due to frequent breaking changes and bugs. Not suitable for mission-critical deployments without significant operational hardening.
- Require Minimal Operational Overhead — Self-hosting requires database backups before updates, environment configuration, Docker/reverse proxy setup, and active monitoring. Dawarich Cloud exists as a managed alternative for hands-off operation.
- Limited Internal DevOps Expertise — Requires Docker knowledge, database administration, potential reverse proxy configuration, and understanding of location tracking integrations. Not a plug-and-play solution for non-technical users.
- Regulatory Compliance Mandates (HIPAA, SOC 2) — No documented security audits, compliance certifications, or enterprise security posture claimed. Organization-wide deployments handling regulated data require independent security review.
License & commercial use
Licensed under AGPL-3.0 (GNU Affero General Public License v3.0). This is a copyleft license requiring that any modified versions distributed or run over a network must provide source code access to users.
AGPL-3.0 is not a permissive OSI license for commercial use without conditions. If deploying as a commercial service (SaaS), providing Dawarich as a product, or modifying and distributing it, you must comply with AGPL's network copyleft clause and make source available. Internal/private self-hosted use on own infrastructure is permitted. Commercial deployment requires legal review and possible contributor consent or licensing negotiation.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Stores sensitive location data and user credentials (for photo integrations). No documented security audit, penetration test, or third-party verification. AGPL-3.0 license requires source transparency. Operators must evaluate: database encryption at rest/in transit, credential storage/rotation, reverse proxy authentication, backup encryption, and dependency vulnerability management. Self-hosting shifts security responsibility to operator. No security policy or incident reporting process documented.
Alternatives to consider
Dawarich Cloud (managed)
Official managed hosting of Dawarich eliminates self-hosting overhead, backup responsibility, and deployment complexity; trade-off: third-party data hosting and subscription cost.
Nextcloud with PhoneTrack
Nextcloud ecosystem provides broader file/calendar/contact management alongside PhoneTrack extension; larger community and documented enterprise deployments; different feature set and UI.
Open Street Map (uMap) + custom tracking
Lightweight, map-focused alternative for visualization; lacks turnkey location ingestion, family sharing, and trip analytics; requires custom integration layer.
Build on dawarich with DEV.co software developers
Dawarich is ideal for privacy-conscious teams and individuals seeking self-hosted location history. Evaluate deployment complexity and AGPL license terms with your legal team. For managed hosting, consider Dawarich Cloud. Contact our team to plan self-hosted or custom deployment strategies.
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dawarich FAQ
Can I use Dawarich commercially (e.g., as a SaaS or white-label product)?
What happens if I don't backup before updating?
Is my location data encrypted in Dawarich?
Can I import 10 years of Google Location History?
Custom software development services
From first prototype to production, DEV.co delivers software development services around tools like dawarich. Our software development agency staffs experienced software developers and web developers for custom software development, web development, integrations, and ongoing support across open-source devops and beyond.
Ready to Take Control of Your Location Data?
Dawarich is ideal for privacy-conscious teams and individuals seeking self-hosted location history. Evaluate deployment complexity and AGPL license terms with your legal team. For managed hosting, consider Dawarich Cloud. Contact our team to plan self-hosted or custom deployment strategies.