ahpxex/read-aware

ReadAware – an ebook reader powered by a self‑evolving AI agent

What it is

• An open‑source, cross‑platform ebook reader (macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS) that embeds a single AI‑driven agent inside the app. The agent can retrieve passages, keep a memory of what you’ve read, and answer questions in‑context, while you continue reading.

Why it matters

• Most “AI‑enhanced” readers bolt a chatbot onto a sidebar. ReadAware flips that model: the agent is the core of the app, orchestrating retrieval, tool use, and a persistent memory that spans books. Plugins can extend both the reader UI and the agent’s capabilities, meaning the app can grow without the core being rewritten.

Key capabilities

Feature	What you get
Sentence‑by‑sentence view	A calm, ADHD‑friendly layout that shows one sentence at a time, keeping the page uncluttered.
Rich annotations	Highlight, underline, and take notes without leaving the reading flow.
In‑page AI chat	Ask the agent about a passage, look up words, or explore ideas while staying inside the book.
Plugin marketplace	Install sandboxed plugins (TTS voices, themes, dictionaries, RSS‑to‑book feeds, WebDAV sync, etc.) that the agent can immediately use as tools.
Cross‑device sync	Books, progress, highlights, conversations, and the agent’s memory sync via an encrypted ReadAware relay or a self‑hosted WebDAV server.
Offline‑first	All reading and annotation work locally; sync merges when you reconnect. AI inference is optional and performed through your chosen model provider.
Broad format support	EPUB, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, PDF, TXT, HTML, CBZ/CBR – all share a single annotation and progress model, no conversion needed.

Architecture at a glance

ReadAware app
├─ React UI (shelf, reader, chat, settings)
├─ Local agent runtime (retrieval, context building, memory updates)
├─ Plugin runtime (sandboxed workers, marketplace)
├─ SQLite (product data, event log, full‑text search)
└─ Native filesystem (imported books, large blobs)

Remote services
├─ Model provider (optional AI inference)
└─ Sync storage (ReadAware relay or WebDAV, encrypted)

• The agent is a runtime that can call tools, fetch passages via SQLite FTS, and update a durable memory built from chat transcripts and events.
• Plugins interact through the same domain API as the agent, so a new plugin can add a tool the agent instantly understands.
• The repo is a Bun monorepo managed by Turborepo, with separate packages for the agent, core domain logic, UI components, and the public plugin type definitions.

Development & release

• Front‑end: React 19, TanStack Router, Jotai, Tailwind CSS v4.
• Desktop shells: Tauri 2 for macOS, Windows, Linux.
• Mobile: native builds for Android and iOS (TestFlight beta).
• CI builds binaries for all platforms via GitHub Actions.

Licensing

• The main application is released under GNU AGPL‑3.0.
• The public plugin API (@read-aware/plugin-types) is MIT‑licensed, allowing third‑party plugins to use any license.

Community & support

• Official website: https://readaware.app
• Discord community for questions, bug reports, and feature ideas.
• Sponsorships from companies like ikeba Inc.; contributions are welcome.

Bottom line ReadAware is a genuine, open‑source AI‑augmented ebook reader that treats the AI agent as a first‑class component rather than an afterthought. Its plugin system, encrypted cross‑device sync, and offline‑first design make it a solid foundation for anyone who wants a reading experience that learns and evolves with them.