darktable-org/darktable

★ 12,395CAudience · generalComplexity · 3/5Setup · moderate

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((darktable))
    What it does
      Organize photo library
      Edit RAW files
      Non-destructive edits
    AI Features
      Denoising
      Object removal
      Image upscaling
    Tech Stack
      Written in C
      Lua scripting API
    Platforms
      Linux
      Windows 10+
      macOS Apple Silicon
      macOS Intel
    Audience
      Photographers
      RAW shooters

mindmap root((darktable)) What it does Organize photo library Edit RAW files Non-destructive edits AI Features Denoising Object removal Image upscaling Tech Stack Written in C Lua scripting API Platforms Linux Windows 10+ macOS Apple Silicon macOS Intel Audience Photographers RAW shooters

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Import and organize a large RAW photo library from your camera with tagging and browsing tools.

USE CASE 2

Edit photos with exposure, color, and lens corrections without permanently altering the original files.

USE CASE 3

Use optional AI tools to remove noise, erase objects, or upscale images to higher resolutions.

USE CASE 4

Automate repetitive editing tasks or build plugins using the built-in Lua scripting API.

Tech stack

CLua

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

GPU acceleration for AI tools requires additional drivers that vary depending on whether you have an NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel graphics card.

Open-source software you can use, modify, and share freely, check the repository for the specific license terms.

In plain English

Darktable is an open-source photography application for managing and editing digital photos, particularly RAW files straight from your camera. It works as what the README calls a virtual lighttable and darkroom: a place to browse and organize your photo library, and then a place to make non-destructive edits to individual images. Non-destructive means your original files are never changed, all adjustments are stored separately and applied on export. The README specifically notes that darktable is not a free substitute for Adobe Lightroom, which is worth knowing up front if that is what you are looking for. It has its own interface and workflow philosophy, and some tasks that are straightforward in Lightroom may work differently here. The application runs on Linux, Windows 10 and later, macOS on both Apple Silicon (M1 and up) and Intel machines (macOS 15 and up), and several BSD variants. Recommended minimum hardware is 8 GB of RAM and a moderately powerful CPU from around 2014 or later. A GPU is optional but noticeably improves performance for some editing operations. Optional AI-powered tools are available for tasks like denoising photos, removing objects, and upscaling images to higher resolutions. These are off by default and must be enabled in preferences. Once enabled, darktable downloads the required model files automatically. AI processing works on CPU without any extra setup, GPU acceleration requires additional drivers depending on whether you have an NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel GPU, with installation scripts provided. The project has a user manual in a separate repository, a Lua scripting API for automation and plugins, and an active community. Source code is written in C and builds are available for all supported platforms.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

I have a folder of RAW files from my Canon camera. Using darktable, how do I import them, apply a base exposure correction to all of them at once, and export as JPEGs?

Prompt 2

Show me how to set up darktable's AI denoising on a Linux machine with an NVIDIA GPU, including which additional drivers I need.

Prompt 3

Write a darktable Lua script that automatically applies a watermark to every photo in a selected collection before export.

Prompt 4

What is the darktable equivalent of Lightroom's Develop module, and how do the non-destructive editing controls map across?

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