family.ancestry: a private, open-source family tree with a friends network built in

Description and use

family.ancestry is a private, open‑source family tree platform with built‑in friend network, GEDCOM import/export, and privacy‑by‑default access.

Problem

Need a private, subscription‑free place to store a family tree that only invited users can view.

Outcome

family.ancestry offers a fully private, open‑source family tree with features such as GEDCOM import/export, privacy‑by‑default access, a built‑in friends network, and multiple interfaces (web, CLI, Electron).

Workflow

• 1. Install CLI: npm i -g familyancestry
• 2. Import GEDCOM: ancestry import ~/Downloads/family.ged
• 3. Add contacts: ancestry contact add --person "Aunt Rose" --email [email protected] --connect
• 4. Use web app, PWA, CLI, or Electron desktop to manage tree
• 5. Invite users as viewers or editors; they manage their own profiles

Evidence

I wanted somewhere to put my family's tree that wasn't a subscription and wasn't public.

Source

It runs at https://family.ancestry.pit.world (the native name, https://family.ancestry, resolves on the Moshpit network).

Source

GEDCOM in and out. Import the .ged file from Ancestry, FamilySearch or any other tree program. Export gives you everything back, and the privacy export leaves out living people.

Source

Private by default. There is no public tree setting. Someone who isn't in a tree gets a 404, so they can't even tell it exists.

Source

There's the web app (a PWA), a JSON API, a CLI with a terminal UI, an MCP server so an assistant can work on your tree, and an Electron desktop app.

Source