Retrom

A self-hosted game library server, centered on emulation, that lets desktop and web clients install, launch and play games stored in one place.

2.1k stars, 45 forks TypeScript On GitHub since April 2024

View on GitHub How to run it

Retrom at a glance

Open sourceYes, GPL-3.0No paid parts in the repository
Health56 of 100Actively developed
Self-hostingDocker, Windows, LinuxOne-click in TrueNAS and Unraid
AppsWindows, Linux, including ARMBuilds in GitHub releases
InterfaceEnglish onlyNo translation files found
Issue repliesWithin ~17 hoursMedian first reply; 50% of recent issues answered

What is Retrom?

Retrom keeps a game collection on one machine and serves it to clients on other devices, which the author compares to a self-hosted Steam for DRM-free games. The server scans folders for platforms and titles, adds them to the library and pulls metadata and artwork from IGDB. Desktop clients for Windows, macOS and Linux install, uninstall and launch games through emulator profiles that are stored on the server, so settings carry over between devices. A web client downloads games and plays supported systems in the browser through EmulatorJS. Steam libraries can be added alongside emulated titles, and native PC games are experimental.

Good fit if

  • You keep ROMs and DRM-free games on a home server and play them from several computers.
  • You want emulator settings saved centrally instead of rebuilt on each machine.
  • You like using a controller in a fullscreen library view.

Look elsewhere if

  • You mainly want to browse a ROM collection and play it in a browser: RomM.
  • You want to stream games running on one PC to other screens: Sunshine.

Before you adopt it

Retrom is licensed under GPL-3.0 and has no paid components in the repository. It is a personal project of JMBeresford, with four authors contributing in the last 90 days and a modest seven commits in that span; the most recent release is v0.8.4 from June 2026. The server runs in Docker, with a compose file that adds PostgreSQL, while the desktop clients ship as builds for Windows and Linux. The roadmap still lists user authentication as unfinished, so do not expose it to the internet without protection.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 7 November 2026. Report a correction

How to run Retrom yourself

One-click install

Not listed in Umbrel, YunoHost, CasaOS, Runtipi, Proxmox VE Helper-Scripts and Coolify. Checked against each panel’s app catalog on 12 November 2026.

Ways to install

Docker files
Dockerfile or compose file in the repository
Compose file
docker/docker-compose.yml: 4 services (postgres)
Setup effort
3 of 5, judged from the compose file
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
Builds for Windows, Linux, including ARM in GitHub releases
Interface languages
English only

Install instructions: the README on GitHub. Docker images and packages are checked weekly.

Retrom health: is it still maintained?

56 of 100, actively developed

Release rhythmEvery ~9 daysLatest: v0.8.4, 14 June 2026
Issue repliesWithin ~17 hoursMedian first reply; 50% of recent issues answered
Bus factorLow riskThe most active of 4 authors wrote 43% of recent commits
  • Activity
    7 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 26 October 2026.
    11 / 30
  • Contributors
    4 people wrote the 7 commits of the last 90 days; the most active wrote 43% of them.
    9 / 20
  • Releases
    15+ releases in the last 12 months; the latest, v0.8.4, on 14 June 2026.
    15 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Maintainers answered 50% of recent issues, with a median first reply after 17 hours.
    16 / 20
  • Security practices
    No OpenSSF Scorecard for this repository yet, so this part gets a neutral score.
    5 / 10

Read from GitHub on 12 November 2026. How the score works

Retrom security

Security advisories are the vulnerabilities the maintainers disclosed on GitHub, with the versions that fix them; many advisories can mean careful disclosure as much as weak code.

Security advisoriesNone publishedNo advisories in the repository’s Security tab

Advisories read from GitHub on 12 November 2026.

Retrom license: is it open source?

Retrom uses GPL-3.0, an open-source license approved by the OSI.

  1. April 2024First published on GitHub.
  2. TodayGPL-3.0.

Retrom for developers

Written in

  • TypeScript 57%
  • Rust 34%
  • MDX 7%
  • Nix <1%
  • JavaScript <1%
  • Other <1%

Getting involved

Good first issues2Open, labelled “good first issue”Help wanted2Open, labelled “help wanted”Contributing guideYesCONTRIBUTING.mdOpen issues65On GitHub
Authors, 90 days4Of 7 commits

Language shares are GitHub’s count of the code in the repository.

Alternatives to Retrom

  • LinuxGSMThe command-line tool for quick, simple deployment and management of Linux dedicated game servers. 71 health · MIT · 4.9k stars
  • PterodactylPterodactyl® is a free, open-source game server management panel built with PHP, React, and Go. Designed… 56 health · MIT · 9.5k stars
  • SunshineSelf-hosted game stream host for Moonlight. 84 health · GPL-3.0 · 43.3k stars
  • RomMA beautiful, powerful, self-hosted ROM manager and player. 74 health · AGPL-3.0 · 14.3k stars

All 7 projects in Games & game servers

Questions about Retrom

Is Retrom open source?

Yes. Retrom is published under GPL-3.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Is Retrom still maintained?

Its health score is 56 of 100 (actively developed). It had 7 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 26 October 2026, and its latest release came out on 14 June 2026.

How do I run Retrom?

You can run it with Docker, as an app for Windows, Linux, including ARM and in one click from TrueNAS and Unraid. The README on GitHub has the exact steps.

What is Retrom written in?

Retrom is written mainly in TypeScript (57% of the code), with Rust (34%) and MDX (7%), by GitHub’s count of the repository.

What are the alternatives to Retrom?

Close alternatives in the Games & game servers category include LinuxGSM, Pterodactyl, Sunshine.