Spotifyd
A lightweight, open-source Spotify client that runs as a UNIX daemon and supports Spotify Connect.
What is Spotifyd?
Spotifyd is an open-source Spotify client that runs as a UNIX daemon, providing a lightweight, headless music streaming solution. It streams audio using the Spotify Connect protocol, allowing it to be controlled from official Spotify apps. It solves the need for a minimal, resource-efficient Spotify client on servers or systems without a graphical interface.
Users running UNIX-like systems (e.g., Linux, macOS) who want a lightweight, daemon-based Spotify client for headless setups, servers, or minimal desktop environments.
Developers choose Spotifyd for its lightweight design, Spotify Connect integration, and open-source flexibility, offering a streamlined alternative to the official client with lower resource usage and broader platform support.
Overview
A spotify daemon
Use Cases
Best For
- Running Spotify on a headless server or Raspberry Pi
- Setting up a whole-home audio system with Spotify Connect
- Reducing resource usage compared to the official Spotify desktop client
- Integrating Spotify playback into custom applications or scripts
- Using Spotify on minimal Linux distributions without a GUI
- Creating a dedicated music streaming device with remote control
Not Ideal For
- Users without a Spotify Premium account, as streaming requires a paid subscription
- Windows users needing a native daemon client, since it's designed for UNIX-like systems
- Those wanting a graphical interface for playlist creation, social features, or visualizations
- Developers seeking a plug-and-play solution with minimal setup and configuration
Pros & Cons
Pros
Runs as a lightweight daemon with lower CPU and memory consumption than the official GUI client, making it ideal for servers or embedded systems like Raspberry Pis.
Supports the Spotify Connect protocol, allowing it to appear as a controllable device from official Spotify apps for seamless remote control.
Works on a wide range of UNIX-like platforms, including Linux distributions and macOS, as highlighted in the README for broader system support.
Being open-source enables customization and integration into custom applications or scripts, leveraging the librespot library for streaming.
Cons
Explicitly requires a Spotify Premium account for streaming, which adds cost and excludes free-tier users, as noted in the README.
Installation and configuration involve command-line tools and editing files, with guidance only via the wiki, which can be challenging for non-technical users.
Focuses solely on core streaming without GUI features like playlist management or advanced audio controls found in the official client.
Relies on librespot, a reverse-engineered library, which may lead to instability or delays in supporting new Spotify features or updates.
Open Source Alternative To
Spotifyd is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
Spotify PlayerA Spotify player in the terminal with full feature parity
ncspotCross-platform ncurses Spotify client written in Rust, inspired by ncmpc and the likes.
rmpcA modern, configurable, terminal based MPD Client with album art support via various terminal image protocols
GlicolGraph-oriented live coding language and music/audio DSP library written in Rust
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