cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/43297441

I just started working on a self hosted Android & iOS ereader app. I’d like to know what features you would like to see if you use this kind of app.

Current Planned Features

  • Support for EPUB, TXT, and HTML ebooks.
  • Syncing over WebDAV. (Bring your own server. I’m not hosting people’s pirated libraries.)
  • Multiple libraries (a WebDAV server is a library), and multiple users per library.
  • Current progress from offline reading will get synced when back online.
  • Dark mode.
  • Custom fonts and themes.
  • Text to speech.
  • Keep awake.
  • Orientation lock.
  • Open source. (GPL license)
  • Native apps using React Native.
  • Animations can be turned completely off.
  • Really good e-ink screen support.
  • Tablet and phone sized device support.

Background

I use a Boox Palma, but sometimes I don’t have it with me, and I’d like to read on my iPhone.

With the current ereaders I know of, there’s always some downside. Syncing costs money, rendering is janky, page turn animations can’t be disabled, themes cost money (really???), no cross platform support, etc.

I want to learn how to build native apps with React Native, so I’m using this as a learning project. I’m not trying to make money on it, so it’ll be open source, and you have to have your own WebDAV server with all your ebooks on it to sync.

Non-Planned Features

Some things I just can’t do or won’t help me learn, so I’m not going to do them.

  • PDF support. (Maybe in the future, but not the initial version.)
  • Web app. (I don’t want to host it.)
  • Kindle app. (React Native doesn’t support them.)
  • Syncing over anything but WebDAV. (I’ll be using WebDAV properties, and I’m not interested in doing any other providers.)

So I’d like to know, what are some features you would like to see, and what are the pain points you’ve experienced with your current ereader apps?

  • hperrin@lemmy.caOPEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    I’ve never even heard of that. There’s an NPM package for it, so I might be able to add it if that package works in React Native.

    Is this used for syncing read state, or just keeping a catalog of your own books?

    • warmaster@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      2 days ago

      OPDS is the standard for ebook distribution. Most eBook apps support it, I bet your boox does too.

      You can subscribe to a feed and browse the catalogue and download a book. Some popular OPDS catalogues are:

      • Feedbooks
      • Internet Archive
      • Manybook
      • Project Gutenberg
      • Standard Ebooks
      • unglue.it

      If you use Linux, check out Foliate reader from Flathub.

        • Zeoic@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          3 hours ago

          Kavita has OPDS support, so if you need a selfhosted OPDS server to test with, that would be a good option. Would be great if the app worked well with Kavita in general too, it has a good API you could work with.

    • realbadat@programming.devEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      Its the only way I roll when it comes to ebooks

      Actually its the only thing I’d like to find in an open comic reader for iOS (iPad, my only iOS device, work bought it for me). Panels supports it (paid version), but I have yet to find an open source solution for iOS that does (for comics specifically).

      For android quite a few do out of the box. Definitely recommended.

      I’d also recommend checking out a server that uses it to try it out. Calibre-server supports it if you want to check it out.