Fess

Self-Hosted

Open-source enterprise search engine for websites and documents

Overview

Fess is a lightweight, open-source enterprise search engine built on OpenSearch. It indexes and searches websites, file systems, databases, and cloud storage with minimal setup. Deployable via Docker, WAR file, or pre-built packages, it offers a responsive UI, multi-language support, role-based access control, and REST APIs for integration. Ideal for self-hosting, it scales from small teams to large organizations, providing fast, relevant results without proprietary lock-in.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  fess:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: fess
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Multi-source indexing (websites, files, databases)
Easy deployment via Docker or pre-built packages
Multi-language support & role-based access control

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Fess hard to install?

No—Fess can be deployed quickly with Docker (single command) or pre-built packages. Default configurations work out-of-the-box, though adjusting crawling rules or backend settings may need basic technical knowledge.

? Is it a good alternative to Google Search Appliance?

Yes—Fess offers similar enterprise search capabilities (multi-source indexing, access control) but is open-source and self-hosted, avoiding proprietary lock-in and ongoing costs.

? Is Fess completely free?

Yes—Fess is licensed under Apache 2.0, so it’s free to use, modify, and distribute for personal or commercial purposes with no hidden fees.

Top Alternatives

Google Search Appliance Search Google

Microsoft Azure Search Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category Search Engines

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused self-hosting
⊕ Free and open-source with no subscription fees

Cons

⊖ Depends on OpenSearch backend
⊖ Advanced customization requires technical expertise