Jellyfin Help Link Integration

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Jellyfin Help Link Integration#

Goal: Integrate a persistent, user-facing help link directly into the Jellyfin UI for logged-in users, directing them to the Hinterflix documentation.
Methods Evaluated: Custom Login Message (pre-login only), Custom CSS (Dashboard > General), Reverse Proxy HTML injection (Nginx), Custom JavaScript, and Plugin-based solutions.
Selected Approach: Custom CSS injected via the Jellyfin Dashboard. It provides immediate visibility without requiring external dependencies or server restarts.

Placement: Prioritized persistent in-interface links over pre-login messages. Options included header navigation, floating action button, and sidebar integration.
Implementation Path: Chose Dashboard > General > Custom CSS for its simplicity and zero-dependency nature compared to reverse proxy modifications or plugin development.
Target URL: The CSS href attributes should point to the deployed Hinterflix help site (e.g., https://status.nbkelley.com or the specific docs subdomain).

Location: Jellyfin Web UI → Dashboard → General → Custom CSS
Active Selectors:
- headerTabs::after for top navigation bar integration
- body::after for a fixed floating action button (FAB)
- sidebarBox:last-child::after for sidebar menu integration
Dependencies: None. Relies entirely on Jellyfin’s built-in CSS injection capability.

Conversation dated 2025-11-22.
Jellyfin’s frontend framework (Ember.js/React hybrid) frequently updates CSS class names. Selectors like headerTabs and sidebarBox may break after major Jellyfin version upgrades, requiring CSS updates.
The sub_filter Nginx approach was considered but discarded in favor of native dashboard configuration to avoid proxy overhead and cache invalidation issues.

Has the chosen CSS snippet been applied and verified against the current Jellyfin version running on the homelab?
Are there any specific UX guidelines or family-user constraints that dictate the preferred placement (header vs. floating vs. sidebar)?