Bluecherry

Bluecherry is a Linux-focused video surveillance server application designed to manage and record network (IP) cameras. It provides web-based configuration and live viewing alongside desktop and mobile clients for cross-platform access. The project transitioned to community-driven, GPL-licensed development and supports deployment via native packages or Docker.

Key Features

• ONVIF-compatible IP camera support for wide device interoperability
• Web-based configuration and live viewing with role-based user access
• Cross-platform clients for Linux, Windows, macOS and mobile (iOS/Android)
• Low memory footprint and CPU-efficient design suitable for modest servers
• Unlimited camera counts with server-side recording and playback capabilities
• Email and webhook notifications for events and alerts
• Docker-based installation option and virtual machine friendly deployment
• Native build system with bundled libraries (libav/ffmpeg) for video handling

Use Cases

• Small business or retail multi-camera NVR deployment with centralized recording
• Home surveillance with mobile live view and push/notification integrations
• Edge or VM deployments on resource-constrained servers requiring efficient video recording

Limitations and Considerations

• The server component is primarily targeted at Linux; Windows/macOS act as clients only
• Building from source requires several native dependencies and custom build scripts; Docker install is recommended for simpler deployment
• Advanced codec hardware acceleration and analytics integrations may require additional configuration or supported drivers

Bluecherry provides a full-featured DVR solution focused on IP camera management, efficient resource use, and multi-platform client access. Community-driven development and Docker deployment options make it suitable for varied self-hosted surveillance scenarios.