In a world where marketing, communication and creative teams produce hundreds of visuals, videos and documents every day, Digital Asset Management — or DAM — has become an essential requirement.
A DAM centralises, indexes, distributes and governs all of an organisation's valuable files: photos, videos, logos, PDFs, templates, packshots…
Among the available solutions, Phrasea stands out radically. Developed by Alchemy, a French company based in Paris, it is a next-generation Open Source DAM — modern, hyperscalable, API First — built on over 30 years of expertise.
Alchemy and Phrasea: A French DAM Story
Alchemy develops Phrasea, a next-generation Open Source Digital Asset Management solution, available On-Premise and as SaaS. Behind this product lies a solid track record :
- 1996: Alchemy founded
- 2005: Launch of Phraseanet — a complete, robust, reliable DAM used by numerous organisations and public administrations
- 2025: Launch of Phrasea — a complete rewrite of the platform, modern, hyperscalable, API First
Phrasea is built on over 30 years of expertise in development and client project management. This continuity guarantees a level of functional maturity that is rare in the DAM market.
A Technical Architecture Built for Performance
Phrasea offers hierarchical data organisation, multilingualism, renditions, versioning, workflows, Single Sign-On, MFA and fine-grained access rights management (ACL), with a native Docker/Kubernetes architecture and built-in scalability.
The API First approach ensures seamless integration with the organisation's entire application ecosystem: CMS, PIM, e-commerce, creative tools, ERP.
Phrasea's Key Modules
The power of Phrasea enables you to upload, read metadata, index in multiple languages, process with a true workflow engine, search and sort intuitively, collaborate, broadcast and publish — all with highly precise access rights management.
Import and File Processing
Phrasea ingests all file formats (image, video, audio, PDF…). At import, embedded metadata (EXIF, IPTC, XMP) is automatically read and indexed. Renditions are generated on the fly according to defined use cases.
Indexing and Search
The Elasticsearch engine powers full-text, faceted and multilingual search across the entire document repository. Search is fast even on collections of several million assets.
Collaboration and Workflows
Phrasea includes its own native workflow engine: version management, shared baskets, annotations. Creative, marketing and communication teams work in a unified environment, with extremely granular rights management.
Publishing with Phrasea Expose
Expose is Phrasea's web publishing service. It enables the creation of secure distribution portals, sharing asset selections with external partners with precisely defined access rights, available formats and access durations — without ever losing control of your content.
Phrasea and Artificial Intelligence
Phrasea frees up your teams through AI, boosting productivity tenfold:
Submission of assets to third-party AI engines for indexing assistance (automatic keywords, text detection in images, subtitling, colour analysis, shape and face recognition…)
SaaS, On-Premise or Hybrid: Your Choice
You choose the model that fits your needs. Unlike closed SaaS solutions, Alchemy allows you to choose and evolve your architecture over time, with reversibility always possible.
| Mode | Ideal for |
|---|---|
| SaaS | Fast deployment, no infrastructure constraints, immediate scalability |
| On-Premise | Data sovereignty, specific security requirements, leveraging existing IT resources |
| Hybrid | Organisations with mixed needs or a progressive transition |
This flexibility is a fundamental differentiator from proprietary DAMs: your architecture remains under your control, and reversibility is always possible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between Phrasea and Phraseanet?
Phraseanet is Alchemy's legacy solution, launched in 2005 and still maintained. Phrasea is the complete rewrite launched in 2025: new architecture, new technical stack (PHP 8, Symfony, React, Elasticsearch), API First approach and native hyperscalability. Both are Open Source.
Is Phrasea truly Open Source?
Yes. Phraseanet's code is published under the GNU GPL v3 licence on GitHub. Phrasea continues this open philosophy — you can view the project on GitHub as well.
What integrations are available with Phrasea?
Thanks to its API First approach, Phrasea can integrate with CMS, PIM, e-commerce platforms, creative tools, ERPs and business applications.
Is Phrasea suitable for both large organisations and SMEs?
Yes. Phrasea's hyperscalable architecture (Docker/Kubernetes, CDN, Elasticsearch) handles the largest document repositories, while SaaS mode enables a fast start for lighter structures.
Phrasea: The Sovereign DAM for Demanding Organisations
Phrasea is not just another generic DAM. It is the result of 30 years of French expertise — an Open Source solution completely rewritten in 2025, powered by a best-in-class technical stack and a clear philosophy: giving you total control over your content and your architecture.
Whether you are a marketing department, an industrial group, a cultural institution or a luxury brand, Phrasea adapts to your organisation — not the other way around.
Ready to see Phrasea in action?
👉 Visit our official website phrasea.com or contact the Alchemy team for a personalised assessment of your needs.
What is a DAM? Complete Guide to Digital Asset Management - and How Phrasea Redefines It