Jellyfin 10.11.1: Slow API Calls With 'People' Field
Hey guys, this article dives into a nasty bug that's been causing some performance headaches for Jellyfin users. Specifically, it highlights a significant slowdown in API response times when the People field is included in API calls. This issue seems to be a regression introduced in Jellyfin version 10.11.1, and it's causing noticeable delays, particularly when browsing media libraries. Let's break down what's happening, the impact, and what you need to know.
The Core Problem: Slow API Calls
The heart of the problem lies in how Jellyfin handles the People field within its API calls. When you request information about media items (like movies, TV shows, etc.), you often want to see details about the cast and crew involved. This is where the People field comes in, providing information about actors, directors, writers, and other contributors. However, since the 10.11.1 update, including this field has resulted in drastically increased API response times. This means that when an application, like Infuse (mentioned in the original report), or any other client, tries to fetch data from your Jellyfin server, it takes significantly longer to load. This results in a sluggish and less enjoyable user experience. The issue is so pronounced that even simple tasks like browsing your latest additions or viewing episode details can become painfully slow. The core functionality of the API is impacted, which causes all third-party clients to have a slow experience, and impacts the basic user experience.
Think about it: when you're browsing your favorite TV show, you want to quickly see the episode list, the actors involved, and maybe a quick synopsis. If each of those actions takes several seconds to load, it can quickly kill the joy of using Jellyfin. This is the kind of problem we're talking about. The increased latency caused by the People field is a real bummer, and it's something the Jellyfin developers are actively working to address. The severity of the problem depends on several factors, including the size of your media library, the complexity of your media metadata, and the hardware your Jellyfin server is running on. However, users across various setups have reported experiencing these slowdowns. This points to a core performance issue within the Jellyfin code itself.
Reproduction and Impact of the Bug
The report provides some concrete examples of the issue. The provided curl commands clearly demonstrate the performance difference. When the People field is included in the API call, the response time jumps dramatically. For instance, the report shows that a call to get the latest items takes over 18 seconds when including the People field. Removing the People field reduces the response time to just over 4 seconds. Similarly, the report showcases how fetching episodes takes significantly longer when the People field is present. This is not just a minor inconvenience; it's a serious performance regression. The inclusion of the People field is core functionality, and it's been the reason to enhance the user experience. Now the user experience has been impacted, and that impact can be seen directly by the end-user.
The impact of this bug is widespread. It affects any application or client that relies on the Jellyfin API to fetch media information. This includes popular clients like Infuse, which the original report specifically mentions as suffering from this slowdown. The impact isn't just limited to these applications. All the clients suffer from this, even the core Jellyfin interface. The original report highlights the fact that this is a regression from the 10.10.X versions. This means that users who upgraded to 10.11.1 experienced a sudden drop in performance, making their Jellyfin experience significantly worse. The impact directly affects the user experience. Imagine how frustrating it would be to wait several seconds for each page to load while browsing through your movies or TV shows. The reproduction steps outlined in the report clearly show how to replicate the issue, making it easy for developers to understand the problem and test potential solutions.
Details of the Issue and Technical Context
The report provides valuable technical details about the issue. It clearly states that the bug is related to the inclusion of the People field in various API calls. The report provides curl commands to demonstrate the performance difference. The report shows the commands, which help to isolate and reproduce the issue. The report also lists the Jellyfin server version (10.11.1), the operating system (NixOS), and the client (Infuse/Curl). All this information is important for the developers to understand the context of the issue. The report also includes the hardware the user is using, such as the CPU, and the storage. The networking of the server is also mentioned. All these details are critical for the developers. The report is very well structured to address a problem. It follows a standard format that includes a description of the bug, steps to reproduce it, the expected and actual behaviors, and details about the Jellyfin server and client environments. The logs are empty, which can be expected, but the information is there. This information is a roadmap for the developers to understand where to focus their efforts. This makes it easier to diagnose the problem, understand its root cause, and develop a fix.
The detailed information allows developers to understand the specific API calls that are affected, the performance difference, and the environment in which the issue occurs. The report also highlights that this is a regression from previous versions, which helps pinpoint when the issue was introduced. By providing these details, the report helps the developers to quickly diagnose the problem and develop a fix. It's a great example of how to report a bug effectively. The report helps in creating a clear path for the developers to follow and a good direction to fix the issue. A good bug report needs to be clear, concise, and provide enough information for developers to understand and fix the problem effectively. The goal is to provide enough information without overwhelming the developers with unnecessary details.
How to Mitigate the Slowdown
While the developers work on a fix, there are a few things you can do to mitigate the performance slowdown. First, and this is the most immediate workaround, you can try temporarily disabling the People field in your API calls, if your client allows it. This means that when you browse your media library, the application won't fetch the cast and crew information, which should result in faster response times. The downside is that you won't see the people associated with your media, which can affect the browsing experience. If you are using a client like Infuse, you may need to adjust the settings to exclude this information or wait for an update. Secondly, you can consider downgrading to a previous stable version of Jellyfin, such as 10.10.X. Keep in mind that downgrading comes with its own risks. You might lose some new features or improvements. It's important to weigh the pros and cons before downgrading. Make sure you back up your Jellyfin database before downgrading.
Another approach is to optimize your Jellyfin server. This includes ensuring your server has enough resources (CPU, RAM, and storage) to handle the load. Make sure the database is optimized and the storage is fast. Check for any plugins that might be causing performance issues and disable them temporarily to see if it makes a difference. Make sure the server and client are on the same network. The network speed can play a crucial role in performance. While these measures won't completely eliminate the problem, they can help improve performance and make Jellyfin more usable until the issue is resolved. Keep in mind, these are temporary solutions, and the best long-term solution is for the developers to fix the underlying performance issue. You should keep an eye on the official Jellyfin GitHub repository and community forums for updates and announcements about a fix.
Staying Updated and Contributing
For the latest information on this bug and its resolution, the best place to stay updated is the official Jellyfin GitHub repository. You can check the issues section to see the progress of the developers. Also, be sure to visit the Jellyfin community forums and chat rooms for community discussions. This way, you can keep up-to-date with any potential solutions or workaround. If you're technically inclined, you can contribute to the Jellyfin project by helping to test potential fixes. If you're a developer, you could help identify the slow code. Even if you're not a developer, you can help by providing more detailed information about your setup, logs, and any other relevant data that might help the developers. By staying involved in the community, you're helping to improve Jellyfin for everyone. Contributing to the community is key. If you're a user, providing detailed information about the issue helps the developers to fix it more quickly. You can also provide feedback on potential fixes. This helps ensure that the fix addresses the root cause of the problem and doesn't introduce any new issues. Even non-technical users can contribute by helping test potential fixes. Testing and reporting bugs is essential to make sure the fix is stable and doesn't introduce new problems. The more people who are involved, the better the final result.
This People field slowdown is a frustrating issue. By understanding the problem, you'll be better equipped to manage its impact on your Jellyfin experience. Keep an eye on the official channels for updates and get involved in the community to help fix the issue. Together, we can make Jellyfin even better!