PickYourTechPickYourTech home
Timelinize logo

Timelinize

Unify all your digital memories into a single interactive timeline

File Sync & Share Platforms

Timelinize aggregates photos, videos, messages, location data, and social media into a unified, interactive timeline you can explore locally, preserving memories forever.

Timelinize banner

Overview

Overview

Timelinize is a local application that brings together photos, videos, chats, contacts, location history, and social‑media content into one searchable timeline. By importing data directly from exported archives or device folders, it builds a SQLite‑backed database while keeping original files untouched, ensuring privacy and easy access.

How it works

  1. Export your data from services such as Google Takeout, iCloud, Facebook, Instagram, or any device storage.
  2. Import the raw folders into Timelinize; no manual extraction is required. The tool recognises formats and indexes items by date.
  3. Explore using multiple visualizations—chronological view, 3D map, gallery, and entity‑centric filters—to rediscover moments and relationships.
  4. Repeat the process as new data becomes available; Timelinize skips duplicates and updates the timeline.

Getting Started

Download the appropriate binary for Windows, macOS, or Linux, or compile from source. The built‑in CLI mirrors every HTTP API endpoint, enabling scripting and automation for regular imports.

Highlights

Import directly from raw archives without decompression
Entity‑aware timeline linking people, places, and organizations
Multiple visualizations: timeline, 3D map, gallery, and entity view
Symmetric HTTP API and CLI for automation and integration

Pros

  • Runs locally, keeping all personal data private
  • Supports a wide range of data types and sources
  • Rich visualizations help discover patterns and memories
  • Open‑source with extensible CLI and API

Considerations

  • Early alpha stage; frequent breaking changes
  • Schema updates may require database recreation
  • User interface is still evolving and may lack polish
  • No dedicated mobile application

Managed products teams compare with

When teams consider Timelinize, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.

Dropbox logo

Dropbox

Cloud file storage and sync for teams and individuals

Google Drive logo

Google Drive

Cloud file storage, sync, and sharing

MEGA logo

MEGA

Encrypted cloud storage and file sharing

Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.

Fit guide

Great for

  • Individuals seeking a personal digital archive
  • Families building a living history of photos and messages
  • Researchers aggregating personal data for analysis
  • Developers needing a local timeline platform for projects

Not ideal when

  • Mission‑critical enterprise deployments
  • Users requiring guaranteed long‑term stability
  • People who need cloud‑based sharing and collaboration
  • Those uncomfortable with alpha‑stage software

How teams use it

Consolidate vacation photos, messages, and GPS tracks

View the entire trip in a chronological timeline with map overlay, making reminiscence effortless.

Create a family memory archive

Combine generations' photos, contacts, and social media posts into a searchable timeline for heritage preservation.

Analyze personal communication patterns

Aggregate SMS, email, and social media chats to reveal interaction trends over time.

Automate periodic data imports

Schedule CLI runs to ingest new Google Takeout archives, keeping the timeline up‑to‑date without manual effort.

Tech snapshot

Go72%
JavaScript17%
HTML9%
CSS2%
Python1%
Dockerfile1%

Tags

self-hosteddata-importfamily-historyarchivaltimelinedata-archiving

Frequently asked questions

What platforms does Timelinize run on?

Binaries are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and you can also compile the project from source.

Do I need to extract my archive files before importing?

No. Timelinize reads the original folder structure and file formats directly.

Is my data stored in a proprietary format?

All items are indexed in a standard SQLite database while the original files remain on disk unchanged.

Can I access the timeline programmatically?

Yes. Every HTTP API endpoint is mirrored as a CLI command, enabling scripting and integration.

What happens when I upgrade to a new version?

Because the schema is still evolving, you may need to delete the existing database and re‑import your source data.

Project at a glance

Active
Visit siteView repo
Stars
3,255
Watchers
3,255
Forks
105
LicenseAGPL-3.0
Repo age1 year old
Last commit4 days ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageGo

Last synced yesterday