Initializing Server

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After you’ve installed Shoko Server, run it so it can initialize which should only take a couple of seconds. As Shoko Server uses a Web UI, nothing will initially open so you’ll need to click on the Shoko Server icon in your tray and click Web UI to open the browser based UI. You can also access the Web UI by typing in http://localhost:8111/ in your browser’s address bar.

We’ve designed the Web UI to be as user-friendly as possible and pretty straightforward to reduce confusion for first time users.

Database Setup

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While you have the option to change the Database Type, we strongly advise leaving it as SQLite as the other options are no longer supported and for legacy users only.

Local User Account

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In order to access Shoko Server, you’ll need to create an account which will link to any community sites you decide to integrate. At this time, Shoko Server only supports one local account so multiple users with separate collections on the same computer is not possible.

AniDB Account

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Shoko uses AniDB to compare your file hashes with its extensive database to quickly figure out and add series to your collection. AniDB also provides additional series and episode information that enhances your collection. At this time, Shoko Server only supports one AniDB account per local account so multiple AniDB users on the same computer is not possible. Shoko will authenticate the username and password you’ve inputted, if unsuccessful please double-check your credentials as you will not be able to proceed.

If you don’t have an account, click here to create one.

Community Sites

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Shoko provides integration for multiple community sites allowing you to download additional metadata for the series in your collection. Most of the options are self-explanatory, so we’ll only cover ones that can either affect performance or cause unwanted issues.

SiteOptionDescription
AniDBRelated DepthDetermines how deep Shoko should go to gather information on related series for a single series in your collection. If importing a big collection, we recommend changing the value for this setting to 1 to avoid temporary bans from AniDB.

Start Server

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With the main settings configured, you can now start Shoko Server.

This should only take a couple of minutes. If you receive any errors, or it fails to continue forward, join us on Discord, so we can help you fix the issue.

Import Folders

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Import Folders are the physical location(s) of where your files are stored. This means two things, they must be accessible by Shoko Server and they are always online. If using removable media, make sure its connected before running any import functions or file checking functions to avoid Shoko removing the entries from your collection database.

There are two different Import Folder Types you can use. The first is Watch For New Files which has Shoko add the contents of the folder to your collection. The second is Drop Type which has Shoko move files from the Drop Source into the Drop Destination. You can use both of these systems at the same time and/or use them both for the same import folder.

Click Add Import Folder to add a new import folder, input the name you’d like to use for the import folder and then select or type the location. Decide on the Import Folder Type you’ll be using for this Import Folder and then click the Save button to add the Import Folder. If you need to add additional folders then make sure to do that as well before moving on.

Installation & Setup Complete

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Congrats, you’ve successfully installed and setup Shoko Server!

The install and setup guide is only meant to cover the minimal requirements required to get Shoko Server up and running. However, Shoko does provide fine-tuned options for those who are not satisfied with the default settings. We highly recommend going through all the available options in the Settings tab fine-tune Shoko and your collection.