I stopped using Amazon’s Kindle app after connecting my old e-reader to a self-hosted server

For years, the author depended on Amazon's Kindle app for their reading habits. The app seamlessly transitioned between devices, never questioning the location of the book file. However, when Amazon altered its transfer options, the author discovered they didn't truly own their library within the app. To prevent their collection from being pulled from every device, they began transferring their EPUBs, PDFs, and other file formats to a self-hosted server.

They utilized Calibre-Web, a web-based interface for their Calibre library, which required no importing of the entire library. The web interface provided an organized view of the books, complete with covers, authors, series, and search capabilities. The author created a separate account for their Kindle that could browse and download books independently.

OPDS, an open catalog format for eBooks and digital comics, facilitated the connection between Calibre-Web and KOReader on the Kindle. After jailbreaking the Kindle, the author added the server address from their Calibre-Web instance and provided the required username and password. KOReader's OPDS client allowed the Kindle to access the Calibre-Web catalog.

The setup provided the author with control over their reading experience. They could read various file formats such as EPUB, MOBI, PDF, CBZ, and more without the need for file conversion. Customization options included font choice, line spacing, margins, and per-book overrides. Despite the lack of Amazon's Whispersync and DRM-protected books, the author found the setup to be a practical and satisfying solution for their e-reader.