diff --git a/native/Cargo.lock b/native/Cargo.lock
index d81bb933da..8b96e93400 100644
--- a/native/Cargo.lock
+++ b/native/Cargo.lock
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [[package]]
-name = "immich_core_dart"
+name = "immich_core_ffi"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "cbindgen",
diff --git a/native/Cargo.toml b/native/Cargo.toml
index 3a0ce14dfb..a8dff395cf 100644
--- a/native/Cargo.toml
+++ b/native/Cargo.toml
@@ -2,14 +2,15 @@
 resolver = "2"
 members = [
     "crates/immich_core",
-    "crates/immich_core_dart",
+    "crates/immich_core_ffi",
     "crates/immich_core_napi",
 ]
 
 # shared logic lives in immich_core (no binding deps). each binding crate is a
-# thin wrapper that picks its own crate-type: immich_core_dart -> cdylib/staticlib
-# for dart:ffi (mobile), immich_core_napi -> cdylib (.node) for the node server.
-# capabilities (hashing, exif, ...) are cargo features on immich_core so both
+# thin wrapper that picks its own crate-type: immich_core_ffi -> cdylib/staticlib,
+# the C ABI consumed by dart (ffigen), swift (C interop) and kotlin (JNI shim);
+# immich_core_napi -> cdylib (.node) for the node server.
+# capabilities (hashing, image, ...) are cargo features on immich_core so both
 # bindings opt into the same set. crate-type can't be feature-gated, which is why
 # the bindings are separate crates rather than one crate with feature flags.
 
diff --git a/native/README.md b/native/README.md
index c02a30886e..94db33affa 100644
--- a/native/README.md
+++ b/native/README.md
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ round-trips but is not wired into the server yet.
 ## Layout
 ```
 crates/
-  immich_core        pure logic, no binding deps. capabilities = cargo features (hashing).
-  immich_core_dart   cdylib/staticlib + cbindgen header for dart:ffi (mobile)
+  immich_core        pure logic, no binding deps. capabilities = cargo features (hashing, image).
+  immich_core_ffi    the hand-written C ABI + cbindgen header — consumed by dart (ffigen),
+                     swift (native C interop) and kotlin (JNI shim)
   immich_core_napi   cdylib (.node) via napi-rs (server, unwired)
 immich_native_core/  the Flutter package mobile depends on. build hook + ffigen @Native bindings.
 smoke/               host dart + node roundtrip scripts (no device)
@@ -23,13 +24,13 @@ Bindings are separate crates (Cargo can't gate `crate-type` by feature).
 
 ## How the native lib is built (Flutter native assets — no prebuilt, no CI)
 `immich_native_core/hook/build.dart` (`native_toolchain_rust`) compiles
-`crates/immich_core_dart` **from source on every app build** via rustup and bundles
+`crates/immich_core_ffi` **from source on every app build** via rustup and bundles
 it as a Flutter *code asset*. The Dart side uses ffigen `@Native` externals bound to
 that asset — no `DynamicLibrary`, no prebuilt artifacts, no fetch/publish/separate-repo.
 
 Native assets is on by default on Flutter stable (3.38+), so a stock `flutter build`
 runs the hook. Each builder needs **rustup** (the hook auto-installs the pinned
-toolchain + targets from `crates/immich_core_dart/rust-toolchain.toml`).
+toolchain + targets from `crates/immich_core_ffi/rust-toolchain.toml`).
 
 ## Dev commands (mise)
 ```
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ mise run smoke         Rust tests + host dart:ffi + host napi roundtrips
 
 ## Add a capability (end to end)
 1. add the logic to `crates/immich_core` (behind a cargo feature if it pulls a dep).
-2. expose a C entry in `crates/immich_core_dart/src/lib.rs` — `#[no_mangle] pub extern "C"`,
+2. expose a C entry in `crates/immich_core_ffi/src/lib.rs` — `#[no_mangle] pub extern "C"`,
    wrap the body in `guard(...)` (panic at the boundary → null, never unwind into the host),
    validate pointers, return Rust-owned memory the caller frees via `immich_core_free_string`.
 3. `mise run codegen` — regenerates the committed cbindgen header + ffigen `@Native` bindings.
diff --git a/native/crates/immich_core/src/lib.rs b/native/crates/immich_core/src/lib.rs
index c42950469f..9cd1c37cf7 100644
--- a/native/crates/immich_core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/native/crates/immich_core/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! immich_native_core — shared Rust core for the immich server (napi) and mobile (dart:ffi).
 //!
 //! Pure logic only: no binding or platform deps live here. Each binding crate
-//! (`immich_core_dart`, `immich_core_napi`) is a thin wrapper. Capabilities are
+//! (`immich_core_ffi`, `immich_core_napi`) is a thin wrapper. Capabilities are
 //! cargo features (`hashing`, `image`, ...) so every binding opts into the same set.
 
 #[cfg(feature = "hashing")]
diff --git a/native/crates/immich_core_dart/Cargo.toml b/native/crates/immich_core_ffi/Cargo.toml
similarity index 96%
rename from native/crates/immich_core_dart/Cargo.toml
rename to native/crates/immich_core_ffi/Cargo.toml
index 1c6fca7e6d..1a52060d71 100644
--- a/native/crates/immich_core_dart/Cargo.toml
+++ b/native/crates/immich_core_ffi/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [package]
-name = "immich_core_dart"
+name = "immich_core_ffi"
 version.workspace = true
 edition.workspace = true
 license.workspace = true
diff --git a/native/crates/immich_core_dart/build.rs b/native/crates/immich_core_ffi/build.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from native/crates/immich_core_dart/build.rs
rename to native/crates/immich_core_ffi/build.rs
diff --git a/native/crates/immich_core_dart/cbindgen.toml b/native/crates/immich_core_ffi/cbindgen.toml
similarity index 100%
rename from native/crates/immich_core_dart/cbindgen.toml
rename to native/crates/immich_core_ffi/cbindgen.toml
diff --git a/native/crates/immich_core_dart/include/immich_core.h b/native/crates/immich_core_ffi/include/immich_core.h
similarity index 100%
rename from native/crates/immich_core_dart/include/immich_core.h
rename to native/crates/immich_core_ffi/include/immich_core.h
diff --git a/native/crates/immich_core_dart/rust-toolchain.toml b/native/crates/immich_core_ffi/rust-toolchain.toml
similarity index 100%
rename from native/crates/immich_core_dart/rust-toolchain.toml
rename to native/crates/immich_core_ffi/rust-toolchain.toml
diff --git a/native/crates/immich_core_dart/src/lib.rs b/native/crates/immich_core_ffi/src/lib.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from native/crates/immich_core_dart/src/lib.rs
rename to native/crates/immich_core_ffi/src/lib.rs
diff --git a/native/immich_native_core/README.md b/native/immich_native_core/README.md
index 053a156713..3fc64a6e1d 100644
--- a/native/immich_native_core/README.md
+++ b/native/immich_native_core/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ Flutter bundles it as a code asset; the `@Native` bindings resolve against it.
 
 ## Layout
 
-- `hook/build.dart` — builds `../crates/immich_core_dart` via `native_toolchain_rust`.
+- `hook/build.dart` — builds `../crates/immich_core_ffi` via `native_toolchain_rust`.
 - `lib/immich_native_core.dart` — barrel, the public API.
 - `lib/src/{core,hashing,image}.dart` — thin wrappers, one file per Rust module.
 - `lib/src/ffi/bindings.g.dart` — ffigen `@Native` output (committed; do not edit).
diff --git a/native/immich_native_core/ffigen.yaml b/native/immich_native_core/ffigen.yaml
index e4127e1651..868e67ab1f 100644
--- a/native/immich_native_core/ffigen.yaml
+++ b/native/immich_native_core/ffigen.yaml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ description: 'FFI bindings to immich_native_core — generated, do not edit.'
 output: 'lib/src/ffi/bindings.g.dart'
 headers:
   entry-points:
-    - '../crates/immich_core_dart/include/immich_core.h'
+    - '../crates/immich_core_ffi/include/immich_core.h'
   include-directives:
     - '**/immich_core.h'
 functions:
diff --git a/native/immich_native_core/hook/build.dart b/native/immich_native_core/hook/build.dart
index 026144b760..4c956a5f16 100644
--- a/native/immich_native_core/hook/build.dart
+++ b/native/immich_native_core/hook/build.dart
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import 'package:code_assets/code_assets.dart';
 import 'package:hooks/hooks.dart';
 import 'package:native_toolchain_rust/native_toolchain_rust.dart';
 
-// Builds crates/immich_core_dart from source on every app build and bundles it as
+// Builds crates/immich_core_ffi from source on every app build and bundles it as
 // a code asset. assetName must match the ffigen output (its package URI is the
 // @Native DefaultAsset id). The crate is a sibling, so point cratePath at it.
 void main(List<String> args) async {
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ void main(List<String> args) async {
     await _ensureRustTarget(input);
     await RustBuilder(
       assetName: 'src/ffi/bindings.g.dart',
-      cratePath: '../crates/immich_core_dart',
+      cratePath: '../crates/immich_core_ffi',
     ).run(input: input, output: output);
   });
 }
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Future<void> _ensureRustTarget(BuildInput input) async {
   };
   if (triple == null) return;
   final crate = input.packageRoot
-      .resolve('../crates/immich_core_dart/')
+      .resolve('../crates/immich_core_ffi/')
       .toFilePath();
   // best effort — if rustup itself is broken the build below reports it properly
   await Process.run('rustup', [
diff --git a/native/mise.toml b/native/mise.toml
index 5600ae6ee5..39b4cd81e8 100644
--- a/native/mise.toml
+++ b/native/mise.toml
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@ run = "cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings"
 alias = "codegen"
 description = "Generate the C header (cbindgen) + Dart @Native bindings (ffigen)"
 sources = [
-    "crates/immich_core_dart/src/lib.rs",
-    "crates/immich_core_dart/cbindgen.toml",
+    "crates/immich_core_ffi/src/lib.rs",
+    "crates/immich_core_ffi/cbindgen.toml",
     "immich_native_core/ffigen.yaml",
 ]
 outputs = [
-    "crates/immich_core_dart/include/immich_core.h",
-    "immich_native_core/lib/immich_native_core_bindings_generated.dart",
+    "crates/immich_core_ffi/include/immich_core.h",
+    "immich_native_core/lib/src/ffi/bindings.g.dart",
 ]
 run = [
-    "cargo build -p immich_core_dart",
-    "cd immich_native_core && dart run ffigen --config ffigen.yaml && dart format lib/immich_native_core_bindings_generated.dart",
+    "cargo build -p immich_core_ffi",
+    "cd immich_native_core && dart run ffigen --config ffigen.yaml && dart format lib/src/ffi/bindings.g.dart",
 ]
 
 # Host FFI roundtrip through the real build hook — no device. Builds the Rust crate
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ run = "flutter test"
 
 [tasks."build:dart"]
 description = "Build the dart:ffi cdylib directly (host, raw cargo)"
-run = "cargo build -p immich_core_dart"
+run = "cargo build -p immich_core_ffi"
 
 [tasks."build:napi"]
 description = "Build the node addon + stage a .node for require() (server, unwired)"
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ run = [
 [tasks."smoke:dart"]
 description = "Host dart:ffi ABI roundtrip (raw DynamicLibrary on the cdylib)"
 depends = ["build:dart"]
-run = "dart run smoke/dart_smoke.dart target/debug/libimmich_core_dart.dylib"
+run = "dart run smoke/dart_smoke.dart target/debug/libimmich_core_ffi.dylib"
 
 [tasks."smoke:node"]
 description = "Host napi roundtrip"
diff --git a/native/smoke/dart_smoke.dart b/native/smoke/dart_smoke.dart
index ca1d0ad796..5519f2edb7 100644
--- a/native/smoke/dart_smoke.dart
+++ b/native/smoke/dart_smoke.dart
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Mobile-side roundtrip: open the dart:ffi cdylib and call into the shared core.
 // Standalone script (no package:ffi dep) — reads the returned C string by hand.
 //
-//   dart run smoke/dart_smoke.dart target/debug/libimmich_core_dart.dylib
+//   dart run smoke/dart_smoke.dart target/debug/libimmich_core_ffi.dylib
 
 import 'dart:ffi';
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ String _readCString(Pointer<Uint8> p) {
 }
 
 void main(List<String> args) {
-  final libPath = args.isNotEmpty ? args.first : 'target/debug/libimmich_core_dart.dylib';
+  final libPath = args.isNotEmpty ? args.first : 'target/debug/libimmich_core_ffi.dylib';
   final lib = DynamicLibrary.open(libPath);
 
   final version = lib.lookupFunction<_VersionNative, _VersionNative>('immich_core_version');