EverReed field guide
OPDS — the Open Publication Distribution System — is the quiet standard that ties self-hosted ebook libraries to the apps people actually read in. If you already run a personal ebook server that exposes an OPDS catalog, EverReed can connect to it, list the books it publishes, and open the supported ones directly in the built-in reader. Nothing about your library moves off your server: EverReed reads the catalog on demand, streams a book when you open it, and keeps your reading progress, highlights, and bookmarks tied to your account. This page explains what OPDS is, why so many self-hosted reading setups converge on it, and how EverReed fits into that workflow without changing how you host or organise your collection.
What you get
OPDS is a lightweight, feed-based catalog format built on top of Atom and HTTP. A server publishes a list of books, their metadata, and the links needed to download the file. A reader app requests that feed, shows you what is inside, and — when you tap a book — pulls the file over the same HTTPS connection you already trust. There is no proprietary sync layer, no vendor account in the middle, and no lock-in to a particular reading app.
OPDS exists so the people who run their own ebook libraries are not stuck with whatever reader ships with their server. It lets you keep the files on hardware you control, choose the reading app that actually feels good on your phone, and swap either side out later without rebuilding your collection. For anyone who has ever migrated between ebook apps, that portability is the point.
Point EverReed at the HTTPS URL of your OPDS catalog, sign in with your server credentials, and the catalog appears next to the rest of your library. Books surface with their titles, authors, and covers. Supported ebook and comic files open inside EverReed — no separate reading app. Your server keeps hosting the files; EverReed handles the reading and the tracking.
Your library → OPDS server → EverReed → Browse · Read · Track. That is the whole pipeline. Whatever tool populates your library on the server end — a self-hosted platform, a script, a folder of files — EverReed sits at the reading end and treats it as a first-class source alongside uploads and follow-only titles.
EverReed can open EPUB/KEPUB, PDF, TXT, safely sanitized HTML/XHTML, DRM-free MOBI/AZW3, and CBZ/CBR when your OPDS server publishes a usable file. Text-aware reader tools depend on the format; image-only CBZ/CBR use page-based reading and resume.
Reading progress, highlights, notes, and bookmarks are saved to your EverReed account, not to the device you happened to read on. Pick a book up on a phone during a commute and continue it on a tablet later — the position is where you left it. Your files stay on your server; only the reading state is synced.
Readers who already run — or plan to run — a personal ebook server and want a modern mobile reader that respects that setup. If you have a Calibre content server, a Kavita or Komga instance, a NAS with an OPDS-capable app, or any other catalog that speaks OPDS over HTTPS, EverReed treats it as a supported source.
OPDS is usually paired with the underlying storage — Calibre libraries, Kavita and Komga instances, or a NAS running an OPDS-capable server. EverReed connects at the OPDS layer, so the specific storage on the other side does not change how reading works in the app. See the linked guides below for setup notes per platform.
Useful details
EverReed is an OPDS reader for iOS, Android and web. You supply a compatible catalog from a server you run, such as Calibre, Kavita or Komga. The catalog must be reachable over HTTPS; EverReed does not host your library or replace your server. Reading progress is saved in EverReed, not written back to the server.
Open Publication Distribution System. It is an Atom- and HTTP-based catalog format used by many self-hosted ebook servers to publish a list of books that reading apps can browse and download.
You need to already be running an OPDS-compatible server, or plan to run one. EverReed itself only asks for the catalog URL and, if the server requires them, your credentials. Setting up the server is separate.
EverReed connects to any catalog that exposes a standard OPDS feed over HTTPS. That covers common setups such as Calibre content server, Kavita, and Komga. We do not maintain a certified list; if it speaks OPDS over HTTPS, it should work.
No. EverReed does not sell, host, or supply ebook files. The books you read through OPDS come from a server you run and a library you already own.
EverReed streams files from your server on demand. It does not maintain a permanent mirror of your OPDS catalog on its own storage.
Reading works best with a connection so files can stream and progress can sync. EverReed is not positioned as an offline-first reader.
No. EverReed requires HTTPS-reachable catalog URLs. Local-only addresses that are not exposed over HTTPS from outside your network will not connect.
No. EverReed reads the catalog your server publishes. Renaming, tagging, and organising still happen on the server side using whatever tool you already use.
EverReed supports EPUB/KEPUB, PDF, TXT, safely sanitized HTML/XHTML, DRM-free MOBI/AZW3, and CBZ/CBR for direct uploads and compatible OPDS sources, subject to normal safety and file-size limits.
No. Highlights, notes, and bookmarks are stored in your EverReed account so they follow you across devices. Your server file is not modified.
Comic setup, page reading and size limits.
Read nextBrowse and read a Kavita library from your phone.
Read nextRead a Komga catalog on iOS and Android.
Read nextReach a NAS-hosted library from your phone.
Read nextHow EverReed fits into a self-hosted reading setup.
Read nextA practical walkthrough for pointing EverReed at your catalog.
Read nextUse EverReed as the reading companion for your Calibre content server.
Read nextThe reader formats available for both uploads and compatible OPDS sources.
Read nextKeep reading
Connect an OPDS-compatible catalog you already run and read it in EverReed.
