timelinize
Timelinize is a self-hosted Go application that aggregates personal data (photos, messages, location history, social media) from multiple sources into a unified, searchable timeline stored locally on your computer. It supports imports from cloud services, devices, and APIs, with entity recognition to link related data across sources.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | timelinize/timelinize |
| Owner | timelinize |
| Primary language | Go |
| License | AGPL-3.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 3.5k |
| Forks | 117 |
| Open issues | 54 |
| Latest release | v0.0.28 (2025-10-17) |
| Last updated | 2026-05-22 |
| Source | https://github.com/timelinize/timelinize |
What timelinize is
Built in Go with a web-based UI, Timelinize uses SQLite for indexing, provides symmetric HTTP API and CLI interfaces, and handles multi-source data ingestion with automatic deduplication. The project is actively developed but remains pre-1.0 with schema instability requiring data reingest on upgrades.
Get the timelinize source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/timelinize/timelinize.gitcd timelinize# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires obtaining and exporting data from source services (Google Takeout, iCloud, etc.) before import; this process is manual and varies by service.
- SQLite database grows with data volume; storage and query performance should be validated at your expected scale; no sharding or distributed database documented.
- Schema instability necessitates keeping original source data intact and being prepared to reimport when upgrading versions; establish a data retention and reingest workflow.
- CLI and HTTP API are auto-generated from the same codebase; choose deployment model (CLI automation vs. server mode) early and design around it.
- Entity recognition and deduplication are heuristic-based; manual entity merging UI available but data quality assurance overhead should be factored in for large datasets.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Requiring Production Stability — Project explicitly warns of active instability, schema changes requiring full data reingest, and pre-1.0 status. Not suitable for mission-critical deployments without acceptance of frequent data resets.
- Need for Real-Time Sync — Timelinize is designed for periodic batch imports from data exports, not continuous streaming or real-time sync from live API sources. Manual data export and reimport cycles are the primary workflow.
- Commercial SaaS Multi-Tenant Deployment — AGPL-3.0 license requires source disclosure and derivative work sharing. Any commercial offering or network-distributed use triggers strong copyleft obligations; unsuitable for proprietary or closed-source products.
- Limited DevOps/Deployment Resources — Self-hosted only with no official managed service. Requires local infrastructure, SQLite management, and manual upgrades. No clustering, backup, or disaster recovery features documented.
License & commercial use
Licensed under AGPL-3.0 (GNU Affero General Public License v3.0). AGPL is a strong copyleft license requiring that any use over a network must make source code available to users. Modification and redistribution are permitted, but derivative works must also be AGPL-licensed.
Commercial use is legally permitted under AGPL-3.0 only if you comply with copyleft obligations: source code must be made available to users, including any modifications. Offering Timelinize as a managed service or selling a modified version requires making source available to customers. Use as a private internal tool for your organization is permissible if not offered as a service. Proprietary extensions or closed-source wrappers are not compatible with AGPL. Organizations considering commercial deployment should seek legal review.
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 |
Project handles sensitive personal data (messages, location, photos, contacts). Security audit is not documented. Considerations: (1) SQLite database and all data stored in plaintext on disk; encryption at rest is not mentioned. (2) HTTP API may be exposed; no authentication mechanism documented in README. (3) Multi-user access is not addressed; isolation between users unclear. (4) No mention of input validation for imported data or sanitization of entity names in UI. (5) Relies on data export integrity from source services. Organizations handling sensitive personal data should conduct security review, implement filesystem encryption, and restrict network access to the server.
Alternatives to consider
Apple Memories / Google Photos
Cloud-hosted alternatives with native sync, ML-powered organization, and sharing; however, data ownership remains with provider and user lock-in is high. No self-hosting option.
Immich (open-source photo management)
Self-hosted alternative focused on photo/video archival with perceptual duplicate detection and timeline view. Lighter-weight than Timelinize but does not aggregate non-media data (messages, location, contacts, social content).
Custom Data Warehouse (Postgres + BI Tool)
Organizations with engineering resources can build custom ETL pipelines and analytics dashboards. Offers maximum flexibility and control but requires significant development and operational overhead.
Build on timelinize with DEV.co software developers
Timelinize is open-source and free to deploy. Download the latest release, export your data from your favorite services, and start building your unified timeline today. Join the Discord community for support.
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timelinize FAQ
Can I use Timelinize commercially or offer it as a service?
What happens when I upgrade to a new version?
Can Timelinize sync data in real-time from my social media accounts?
Is my data encrypted or secure in Timelinize?
Software development & web development with DEV.co
Adopting timelinize is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate open-source devops software in production.
Ready to Archive Your Personal Data?
Timelinize is open-source and free to deploy. Download the latest release, export your data from your favorite services, and start building your unified timeline today. Join the Discord community for support.