Calibre-Web
A web interface for an existing Calibre ebook library
Calibre-Web puts a browser front end on a Calibre library, so you can browse, read and download your ebooks from any device. It is GPL-3.0 licensed, written in Python, and relies on the database the Calibre desktop app creates.
Best for when
- you already manage your ebooks in Calibre
- you want to read or download your books from any device
- you send books to an e-reader and want to do it from a browser
Watch out for
- it needs a library created by Calibre, it is not a standalone book manager
- format conversion requires the Calibre binaries installed next to it
- releases are irregular, and some users move to community forks for extra automation
Your Calibre library, from anywhere
Calibre is the long-standing desktop app for managing ebooks, and its library is a folder plus a metadata.db file. Calibre-Web reads that same library and gives you a clean web interface with search, shelves, a built-in reader, user accounts and an OPDS feed for e-reader apps.
It suits people who already curate their books in Calibre and want to reach them from a phone or tablet without copying files around. It can also send a book to an e-reader by email, which is handy for Kindle owners, and edit basic metadata from the browser.
What running it costs
The app itself is light, a Python process using little RAM. The catch is the dependency on a Calibre library: you need an existing metadata.db, and format conversion only works if the Calibre binaries are installed alongside it. Back up the library folder and the Calibre-Web settings database.
Avoid having the Calibre desktop app and Calibre-Web write to the same library at the same time, because both edit the same database. Keep the server private unless you have thought through who can download what.
