Sync your reading progress and highlights across devices with a self-hosted tool
You can listen to an audiobook on your iPhone and continue on your Apple Watch, or pick up where you left off on a Kobo or in the web browser. BookOrbit is a self-hosting tool that consolidates e-books, PDFs, comics, and audiobooks in one place while syncing progress and highlights across multiple devices. By running the server yourself, you retain full control over your reading data.
Participating in the Android App Beta Test
The official Android app is currently in a closed beta testing phase. Participating in the Google Play beta and keeping it for at least 14 days helps accelerate the public release. During this period, the app's stability and features are being verified.
Continuity of the Reading Experience Across Devices
BookOrbit provides a consistent reading experience across various devices, including the web, iPhone, Apple Watch, Kobo, and KOReader. You can resume a chapter stopped on one device immediately on another, with highlights and notes synced accordingly. Installing the KOReader plugin allows you to browse your library, download books, and manage status directly on the device. Audiobooks can be streamed on iPhone or downloaded and then transferred to Apple Watch for offline playback.
Library Management and Metadata Automation
You can organize your library by folders and customize scan rules for management. The system supports 12 metadata providers, including Google Books, Open Library, Amazon, and Goodreads, to automatically fetch book information and cover images. Reading status and highlights can be automatically sent to external services like Hardcover, Readwise, and StoryGraph, or reading history from Hardcover can be imported to fill in missing entries. A statistics and achievement system with over 50 metrics, such as reading time heatmaps, streaks, annual goals, and proficiency, tracks your reading habits.
Installation and Operating Environment
Installation is straightforward using Docker Compose, running alongside a Postgres database. You must configure the server URL, book file path, database password, JWT secret, and initial setup token in the .env file. If the owner of the book file folder is not UID 1000, you must align PUID and PGID; this configuration error is the most common cause of permission issues during the initial scan. Multi-user accounts and SSO are supported via integration with Authentik, Keycloak, and Authelia through OIDC, while content can be delivered via OPDS and Send-to-Kindle.
Repository Conditions to Verify Before Operation
NAS or network storage (SMB, NFS, FUSE, cloud mounts, etc.) is not supported. All writable paths (book library, import folder, app data, Postgres data) must be on a local filesystem that guarantees atomic renaming, locking, file notifications, permissions, caching, consistency, and durability. Using network storage may lead to intermittent failures, incomplete moves, stale library states, or data loss or corruption, and issues in such environments are not supported. Additionally, while the API maintains compatibility with official clients, it does not guarantee stable integration with third-party clients; therefore, using the official apps, OPDS, Kobo sync, and the KOReader plugin is recommended.