Question 1

What is Wishlist?

Accepted Answer

Wishlist is a small self-hosted application for coordinating gifts within a family or group of friends. Each person makes a list of things they'd like, and others can privately claim items they intend to buy. The list owner can't see what's been claimed on their own list, so surprises are preserved, while everyone else can, so nobody buys duplicates. This install runs it on port 3065.

Question 2

How does the claim feature work?

Accepted Answer

When someone marks an item on another person's list as claimed, it signals to the rest of the group that they intend to buy it, so no one else picks the same gift. The key detail is visibility: the person whose list it is does not see claims on their own items, which keeps the surprise intact, while all the other members can see what's been taken. That combination is exactly what makes gift coordination work without spoilers.

Question 3

Which port does it use?

Accepted Answer

Wishlist is published on host port 3065, mapped from the container's internal port 3280. You open http://your-server:3065 in a browser. If the family only uses it on your home network, keeping 3065 on the LAN is often enough; if people access it remotely, put it behind a reverse proxy with TLS rather than exposing the port directly, so accounts and lists aren't sent unencrypted.

Question 4

Why self-host it instead of using a store's registry?

Accepted Answer

Self-hosting keeps your family's lists and gift plans private on your own server, rather than on a commercial registry that ties you to a particular retailer, shows ads, and monetises your buying intentions. It's also there year after year for every occasion without a subscription or a company deciding to shut it down. The trade is that you run a small server, which for a tool this simple is very little to manage.

Question 5

Do I need to back up a database?

Accepted Answer

There's no separate database container to manage — Wishlist keeps its data (accounts, lists, and claims) and its uploaded item images in mounted folders on the host. So backing it up is just a matter of copying those two folders periodically. That simplicity is part of the appeal: both the firewall picture and the backup story are straightforward, with only the web port to expose and two folders to preserve.

🎁 Setup Wishlist — Self-Hosted Gift Registry for Families

📦 Resources & Setup Scripts

Quick Install:

Tutorial Steps

1 Download the Script

2 Make it Executable

3 Run the Installer

4 Open Wishlist and Create Your List

Ports Used

Overview

Why Use It

When You Need It

Who Should Use It

Real Use Cases

Main Features

How to Use After Installation

Security Best Practices

Ports and Firewall Notes

Backup and Maintenance

Common Mistakes

Troubleshooting

Alternatives

When Not to Use It

PrismaTechWork Professional Help

Frequently Asked Questions