loveheaven
11d796361e
* perf(epub): add native EPUB parser in Rust
Introduce a Rust-side EPUB pre-parser exposing three Tauri commands:
* parse_epub_metadata - title/author/cover + partialMD5 in one
shot, for the import hot path
* parse_epub_full - OPF + nav.xhtml + toc.ncx bytes plus a
manifest size table, for the reader open
hot path
* extract_epub_cover_full - full-resolution cover bytes, for the
lock-screen wallpaper writer
All three avoid ferrying multi-MB blobs across the JS<->Rust IPC
boundary. Cover bytes returned by parse_epub_metadata are downscaled
to a webview-friendly JPEG when the long edge exceeds the library
thumbnail size.
No JS callers yet -- wired up in the following commits.
* perf(import): use native EPUB parser and downscale covers on Tauri targets
On Tauri (desktop/iOS/Android), importBook now forwards EPUB
metadata + cover extraction to the Rust parse_epub_metadata
command and reuses the partialMD5 it returns, skipping the
foliate-js full archive parse and the second pass over the file
for hashing.
As a side effect, the cover written to cover.png is downscaled
to a webview-friendly JPEG (long edge <= 512px), shrinking the
on-disk thumbnail from multi-MB to ~30-60KB per book. To keep
the lock-screen wallpaper feature unchanged, useAutoSaveBookCover
now pulls the original full-resolution cover via the Rust
extract_epub_cover_full command instead of copying the (now
downscaled) cover.png; falls back to the thumbnail when the
native path is unavailable.
Web targets and non-EPUB formats keep the existing path.
* perf(reader): prefetch EPUB OPF/nav from Rust on book open
When opening an EPUB on Tauri targets, DocumentLoader now calls the
Rust parse_epub_full command up-front to pull the OPF, EPUB3 nav,
NCX and the central-directory size map in a single IPC. The
foliate-js zip loader is wrapped so that loadText() of these
entries (and a synthetic META-INF/container.xml) is served from
that in-memory cache without inflating through zip.js, while
all other assets keep flowing through the original loader.
A small in-flight dedupe is added to the spine-text loader so the
nav pipeline (loadText + createDocument back-to-back on the same
href) doesn't pay for two zip.js inflate calls per chapter on
first open.
Reader store / app service plumbing: readerStore.openBook now
resolves an absolute on-disk path via the new
appService.resolveNativeBookFilePath / bookService.resolveNativeBookFilePath
helper and threads it into DocumentLoader as nativeFilePath so
the prefetch can fire. Web targets, non-EPUB formats and books
without a managed/external on-disk path skip the prefetch and
take the original code path.
* perf(nav): parallelize section scans and memoize fragment lookups
computeBookNav now processes sections via Promise.all instead of
a sequential for-loop, and within each section issues loadText()
and createDocument() concurrently. Combined with the in-flight
loadText dedupe added to the zip loader, each chapter pays for a
single zip inflate per nav build, and the inflates of different
chapters overlap.
enrichTocFromNavElements is restructured into two concurrent
phases: a cheap '<nav' substring filter on the inflated text, and
a parsed-document walk for the survivors. Most chapters fall out
in phase 1 without ever being parsed.
In fragments.ts, calculateFragmentSize now consults a
per-section position cache (makeFragmentPositionCache) so the
N-fragment loop is O(N) over the chapter HTML instead of O(N²).
A small isCfiAddressable guard is added to skip elements that
foliate-js's CFI generator can't address (documentElement, body
itself, detached nodes, nodes outside <body>) — these previously
threw and spammed console.warn for every fragment, now they
silently fall back to the section CFI.
* perf(import): use native MOBI/AZW/AZW3 parser on Tauri targets
On Tauri (desktop/iOS/Android), importBook now forwards
MOBI/AZW/AZW3/PRC metadata + cover extraction to the Rust
parse_mobi_metadata command and reuses the partialMD5 it returns,
skipping the foliate-js full-buffer parse and the second pass over
the file for hashing. Mirrors the existing EPUB native fast-path
added in e3fc4767 — bookService tries EPUB first, then MOBI; both
bridges fall back to the foliate-js DocumentLoader when the native
path is unavailable (web target, parse error, format mismatch).
The new mobi_parser is built on the mobi crate (KF7+KF8 reader,
zero JS-side touch). It reads title, author, publisher, ISBN, ASIN,
publish date, language, subjects and description from the MobiHeader
+ EXTH records, resolves the EXTH 201 cover offset against the PDB
image-record table (with ThumbOffset / first-image fallbacks), and
strips KindleGen's HTML wrapping in EXTH 103 so the description goes
into the library DB as plain text. The parsed cover is funneled
through the same maybe_resize_cover path as EPUB, so MOBI library
thumbnails are also clamped to a 512px-long-edge JPEG.
Cover-resize / partialMD5 / RawCoverImage are extracted into a new
parser_common module shared between epub_parser and mobi_parser, so
a single tweak (e.g. raising the thumbnail target) applies to every
native importer and the partialMD5 implementation can't drift between
the two paths (a divergent algorithm would silently re-import every
existing book under a new hash on the first run).
Web targets and non-Kindle formats keep the existing path.
* test(tauri): verify native Rust EPUB parser parity with foliate-js
Add a Tauri WebView parity suite (epub-parser-parity.tauri.test.ts) that
cross-checks the native Rust parser against foliate-js on the same fixtures:
parse_epub_metadata / parse_epub_full (title, author, language, identifier,
publisher, published, subjects, partialMD5, OPF + per-entry size table), and
that opening with the native prefetch produces the same BookDoc and
computeBookNav (TOC) output as the pure-JS path.
Fix a parity divergence the suite caught: the Rust OPF parser mapped
dcterms:modified onto `published`, but foliate-js keeps them separate and
leaves `published` empty -- so EPUB3 books carrying only the mandatory
dcterms:modified got a bogus publication date on the native import path. Map
only dc:date now; add regression tests.
Test infra:
- vitest.tauri.config.mts: add optimizeDeps (mirroring vitest.browser.config)
so foliate-js-importing tauri tests load -- otherwise esbuild's dep scan
can't resolve '@pdfjs/pdf.min.mjs', pre-bundling is skipped, and the CJS
deps fail to import ("Importing a module script failed").
- capabilities-extra/webdriver.json: fix __test__ -> __tests__ fs scope typo
so import tests can open fixtures under src/__tests__/.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* refactor(import): foliate-js owns EPUB/MOBI metadata via standalone extractors
Rust contributes only the mechanical work that's expensive on a
WebView — partialMD5, the downscaled cover, and (for EPUB) the raw
OPF bytes Rust already had to read for cover resolution. Metadata
extraction is delegated to foliate-js's two new standalone entry
points (`parseEpubMetadataFromXML`, `readMobiMetadata`) so the
import-path BookDoc and the reader-path BookDoc share a single
parser implementation.
EPUB
- `parse_epub_metadata` returns
`{ partialMd5, cover, coverMime, opfPath, opfBytes }`. OPF bytes
are a free byproduct of the cover-resolution scan.
- `tryNativeParseEpub` runs `parseEpubMetadataFromXML` on the OPF
bytes and assembles a lightweight BookDoc stub (metadata +
getCover). The importer doesn't drive `DocumentLoader.open()`, so
no zip central-directory scan, no nav/ncx inflate, no spine walk.
- `coverMime` is preserved so `bookService.importBook`'s
`cover.type === 'image/svg+xml'` branch still routes SVG covers
through svg2png.
MOBI / AZW / AZW3 / PRC
- `parse_mobi_metadata` returns `{ partialMd5, cover, coverMime }`.
`tryNativeParseMobi` runs foliate's `readMobiMetadata` on the
same File, which uses `MOBI.open(file, { metadataOnly: true })`
to parse PalmDB + MobiHeader + EXTH and short-circuit before the
MOBI6 / KF8 init() that walks every text record.
- `Book.metadata.identifier` is foliate's `mobi.uid.toString()`
(PalmDB UID), the canonical MOBI identifier the reader path uses.
bookService.importBook
- EPUB and MOBI native branches consume the bridge's BookDoc stub
directly. The stub's `getCover()` returns the Rust-downscaled
blob, falling back to foliate's own `getCover` thunk when Rust
didn't extract a cover.
Other
- Drop the unused `base64` Rust dependency: cover bytes go over IPC
as `Vec<u8>` (Tauri 2 transports them natively, like opfBytes /
navBytes / ncxBytes).
- Drop the `nativePrefetch` option on `DocumentLoaderOptions`; no
caller passes it. `nativeFilePath` keeps driving `parse_epub_full`
on the open hot path.
Tests
- vitest.tauri parity test asserts byte-equal partialMD5, cover
presence parity, OPF bytes that decode to a real `<package>`
document, and that `parseEpubMetadataFromXML` on those bytes
produces the same user-visible metadata fields (title / author /
language / identifier / published) as `DocumentLoader.open()`.
* test(tauri): add War and Peace MOBI fixture for native parser parity
The .tauri parser-parity suite previously had no .mobi/.azw3 asset, so the native MOBI parser (metadata + EXTH cover resolution) was uncovered. Adds a real KF8 MOBI ("War and Peace") to enable MOBI parity coverage against foliate-js.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* chore(foliate-js): bump submodule to readest/foliate-js main (91191ca)
Replaces the ad-hoc 02f435a with the merged main commit 91191ca, which lands the standalone OPF/MOBI metadata extractors (parseEpubMetadataFromXML, readMobiMetadata) the import fast-path depends on (foliate#19), plus the RTL multi-view rect-mapper fix (foliate#20). The extractor code is byte-identical to 02f435a, so the bridges are unaffected.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Huang Xin <chrox.huang@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Readest
Readest is an open-source ebook reader designed for immersive and deep reading experiences. Built as a modern rewrite of Foliate, it leverages Next.js 16 and Tauri v2 to deliver a smooth, cross-platform experience across macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and the Web.
Features • Planned Features • Screenshots • Downloads • Getting Started • Troubleshooting • Support • License
Features
✅ Implemented
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Format Support | Support EPUB, MOBI, KF8 (AZW3), FB2, CBZ, TXT, PDF | ✅ |
| Scroll/Page View Modes | Switch between scrolling or paginated reading modes. | ✅ |
| Full-Text Search | Search across the entire book to find relevant sections. | ✅ |
| Annotations and Highlighting | Add highlights, bookmarks, and notes to enhance your reading experience and use instant mode for quicker interactions. | ✅ |
| Dictionary/Wikipedia Lookup | Instantly look up words and terms when reading. | ✅ |
| Parallel Read | Read two books or documents simultaneously in a split-screen view. | ✅ |
| Customize Font and Layout | Adjust font, layout, theme mode, and theme colors for a personalized experience. | ✅ |
| Code Syntax Highlighting | Read software manuals with rich coloring of code examples. | ✅ |
| File Association and Open With | Quickly open files in Readest in your file browser with one-click. | ✅ |
| Library Management | Organize, sort, and manage your entire ebook library. | ✅ |
| OPDS/Calibre Integration | Integrate OPDS/Calibre to access online libraries and catalogs. | ✅ |
| Translate with DeepL and Yandex | From a single sentence to the entire book—translate instantly. | ✅ |
| Text-to-Speech (TTS) Support | Enjoy smooth, multilingual narration—even within a single book. | ✅ |
| Sync across Platforms | Synchronize book files, reading progress, notes, and bookmarks across all supported platforms. | ✅ |
| Sync with Koreader | Synchronize reading progress, notes, and bookmarks with Koreader devices. | ✅ |
| Accessibility | Provides full keyboard navigation and supports for screen readers such as VoiceOver, TalkBack, NVDA, and Orca. | ✅ |
| Visual & Focus Aids | Reading ruler, paragraph-by-paragraph reading mode, and speed reading features. | ✅ |
Planned Features
🛠 Building
🔄 Planned
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Powered Summarization | Generate summaries of books or chapters using AI for quick insights. | 🛠 |
| Advanced Reading Stats | Track reading time, pages read, and more for detailed insights. | 🛠 |
| Audiobook Support | Extend functionality to play and manage audiobooks. | 🔄 |
| Handwriting Annotations | Add support for handwriting annotations using a pen on compatible devices. | 🔄 |
| In-Library Full-Text Search | Search across your entire ebook library to find topics and quotes. | 🔄 |
Stay tuned for continuous improvements and updates! Contributions and suggestions are always welcome—let's build the ultimate reading experience together. 😊
Screenshots
Downloads
Mobile Apps
Platform-Specific Downloads
- macOS / iOS / iPadOS : Search and install Readest on the App Store, also available on TestFlight for beta test (send your Apple ID to readestapp@gmail.com to request access).
- Windows / Linux / Android: Visit and download Readest at https://readest.com or the Releases on GitHub.
- Linux users can also install Readest on Flathub.
- Web: Visit and use Readest for Web at https://web.readest.com.
Requirements
- Node.js and pnpm for Next.js development
- Rust and Cargo for Tauri development
For the best experience to build Readest for yourself, use a recent version of Node.js and Rust. Refer to the Tauri documentation for details on setting up the development environment prerequisites on different platforms.
nvm install v24
nvm use v24
npm install -g pnpm
rustup update
Getting Started
To get started with Readest, follow these steps to clone and build the project.
1. Clone the Repository
git clone https://github.com/readest/readest.git
cd readest
2. Install Dependencies
# might need to rerun this when code is updated
git submodule update --init --recursive
pnpm install
# copy vendors dist libs to public directory
pnpm --filter @readest/readest-app setup-vendors
3. Verify Dependencies Installation
To confirm that all dependencies are correctly installed, run the following command:
pnpm tauri info
This command will display information about the installed Tauri dependencies and configuration on your platform. Note that the output may vary depending on the operating system and environment setup. Please review the output specific to your platform for any potential issues.
For Windows targets, “Build Tools for Visual Studio 2022” (or a higher edition of Visual Studio) and the “Desktop development with C++” workflow must be installed. For Windows ARM64 targets, the “VS 2022 C++ ARM64 build tools” and "C++ Clang Compiler for Windows" components must be installed. And make sure clang can be found in the path by adding C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\VC\Tools\Llvm\x64\bin for example in the environment variable Path.
4. Build for Development
# Start development for the Tauri app
pnpm tauri dev
# or start development for the Web app
pnpm dev-web
# preview with OpenNext build for the Web app
pnpm preview
For Android:
# Initialize the Android environment (run once)
rm apps/readest-app/src-tauri/gen/android
pnpm tauri android init
pnpm tauri icon ../../data/icons/readest-book.png
git checkout apps/readest-app/src-tauri/gen/android
pnpm tauri android dev
# or if you want to dev on a real device
pnpm tauri android dev --host
For iOS:
# Set up the iOS environment (run once)
pnpm tauri ios init
pnpm tauri icon ../../data/icons/readest-book.png
pnpm tauri ios dev
# or if you want to dev on a real device
pnpm tauri ios dev --host
5. Build for Production
pnpm tauri build
pnpm tauri android build
pnpm tauri ios build
Please refer to our release script if you experience any issues: https://github.com/readest/readest/blob/main/.github/workflows/release.yml
6. Setup dev environment with Nix
If you have Nix installed, you can leverage flake to enter a development shell with all the necessary dependencies:
nix develop ./ops # enter a dev shell for the web app
nix develop ./ops#ios # enter a dev shell for the ios app
nix develop ./ops#android # enter a dev shell for the android app
7. More information
Please check the wiki of this project for more information on development.
Troubleshooting
1. Readest Won’t Launch on Windows (Missing Edge WebView2 Runtime)
Symptom
- When you double-click readest.exe, nothing happens. No window appears, and Task Manager does not show the process.
- This can affect both the standard installer and the portable version.
Cause
- Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is either missing, outdated, or improperly installed on your system. Readest depends on WebView2 to render the interface on Windows.
How to Fix
- Check if WebView2 is installed
- Open “Add or Remove Programs” (a.k.a. Apps & features) on Windows. Look for “Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime.”
- Install or Update WebView2
- Download the WebView2 Runtime directly from Microsoft: link.
- If you prefer an offline installer, download the offline package and run it as an Administrator.
- Re-run Readest
- After installing/updating WebView2, launch readest.exe again.
- If you still encounter problems, reboot your PC and try again.
Additional Tips
- If reinstalling once doesn’t work, uninstall Edge WebView2 completely, then reinstall it with Administrator privileges.
- Verify your Windows installation has the latest updates from Microsoft.
Still Stuck?
- See Issue readest/readest#358 for further details, or head over to our Discord server and open a support discussion with detailed logs of your environment and the steps you’ve taken.
2. AppImage Launches but Only Shows a Taskbar Icon
On some Arch Linux systems—especially those using Wayland—the Readest AppImage may briefly show an icon in the taskbar and then exit without opening a window.
You might see logs such as:
Could not create default EGL display: EGL_BAD_PARAMETER. Aborting...
This behavior is usually caused by compatibility issues between the bundled AppImage libraries and the system’s EGL / Wayland environment.
Workaround 1: Launch with LD_PRELOAD (recommended)
You can preload the system Wayland client library before launching the AppImage:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libwayland-client.so /path/to/Readest.AppImage
This workaround has been confirmed to resolve the issue on affected systems.
Workaround 2: Use the Flatpak Version
If you prefer a more reliable out-of-the-box experience on Arch Linux, consider using the Flatpak build on Flathub instead. The Flatpak runtime helps avoid system library mismatches and tends to behave more consistently across different Wayland and X11 setups.
Contributors
Readest is open-source, and contributions are welcome! Feel free to open issues, suggest features, or submit pull requests. Please review our contributing guidelines before you start. We also welcome you to join our Discord community for either support or contributing guidance.
Support
If Readest has been useful to you, consider supporting its development. You can become a sponsor on GitHub, donate via Stripe, or donate with crypto. Your contribution helps us squash bugs faster, improve performance, and keep building great features.
Sponsors
License
Readest is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. See the LICENSE file for details.
The following libraries and frameworks are used in this software:
- foliate-js, which is MIT licensed.
- zip.js, which is licensed under the BSD-3-Clause license.
- fflate, which is MIT licensed.
- PDF.js, which is licensed under Apache License 2.0.
- daisyUI, which is MIT licensed.
- marked, which is MIT licensed.
- next.js, which is MIT licensed.
- react-icons, which has various open-source licenses.
- react, which is MIT licensed.
- tauri, which is MIT licensed.
The following fonts are utilized in this software, either bundled within the application or provided through web fonts:
Bitter, Fira Code, Inter, Literata, Merriweather, Noto Sans, Roboto, LXGW WenKai, MiSans, Source Han, WenQuanYi Micro Hei
We would also like to thank the Web Chinese Fonts Plan for offering open-source tools that enable the use of Chinese fonts on the web.
Happy reading with Readest!