Readest is a modern eBook reader designed for people who want a consistent reading environment across desktop and mobile devices. On Linux it provides a native desktop application built with Tauri, while the interface and much of the application logic are written in TypeScript.
The project began as a modern rewrite inspired by Foliate but has developed into a substantially broader reading platform. It combines a personal library with a reader that is equally comfortable with casual books, reference material and long-form study.
Readest is unusually ambitious for an eBook application. Rather than limiting itself to local files, it is designed around interoperable reading workflows and continuity between devices, while still retaining the typography and navigation controls expected from a dedicated desktop reader.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Reads EPUB, PDF, MOBI, KF8/AZW3, FB2, CBZ, TXT and Markdown documents.
- Switches between paginated and scrolling views, with configurable fonts, layouts, themes and colour schemes.
- Provides full-text search within a book and across the current library shelf.
- Supports highlights, bookmarks and notes, together with a notebook workspace linked back to source passages.
- Offers dictionary and Wikipedia lookup, including support for imported local dictionary packs.
- Can display two books or documents side by side with its parallel-reading mode.
- Integrates with OPDS catalogues and Calibre libraries, and can clip web pages or web-novel chapters into the library.
- Supports audiobooks, multilingual text-to-speech and EPUB media overlays with synchronized highlighting.
- Synchronizes books, progress, annotations and bookmarks across supported platforms, with additional KOReader-compatible synchronization.
- Provides keyboard navigation and screen-reader support, plus reading aids including a reading ruler, paragraph focus and speed-reading tools.
Website: github.com/readest/readest
Support:
Developer: readest
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0

readest is written in TypeScript. Learn TypeScript with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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