sTori

A local-first ebook server and personal reading room for Windows and iPhone.

sTori turns a Windows PC into a private ebook library server. Read on the desktop, pair an iPhone over the local network, and keep books, metadata, collections, and reading progress under your control.

Features | Installation | First launch | Usage | Connect an iPhone | Development

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Windows preview: sTori is early software. Installers are currently unsigned, so Windows SmartScreen may display a warning.

Features

• Tauri 2 desktop application with a Rust/Axum server on port 1822
• SQLite catalog, reading progress, bookmarks, collections, and series
• Read-only scanning of existing ebook libraries
• EPUB and PDF reading (MOBI is not currently supported)
• Project Gutenberg discovery and managed EPUB downloads
• Automatic two-book starter shelf on first launch
• Search, genres, inferred series, and manual collections
• Short-lived QR pairing for reader-only iPhone sessions
• Responsive installable web-app shell
• Database backups, integrity diagnostics, and download verification
• Light and dark themes with selectable serif app and reader fonts
• Signed in-app updates, system-tray operation, and optional Windows startup

Configured source libraries are treated as read-only. Downloads managed by sTori are stored under the current Windows user's Downloads folder in sTori Books; no username is hardcoded.

Installation

Windows installer

1. Open the sTori Releases page.

2. Download the Windows installer named similar to:

   Download the latest Windows installer from GitHub Releases. The installer asset is named `sTori_<version>_x64-setup.exe`.
   

3. Run the installer and follow the Windows prompts.

4. Open sTori from the Start menu.

Node.js, Rust, Python, and a separate web server are not required when using the packaged installer.

SmartScreen warning

The preview installer is not yet code-signed. Windows may show Windows protected your PC. If the installer came from the official sudoaanish/sTori Releases page, select More info, verify that the displayed application is sTori, and choose Run anyway.

Published releases include a SHA-256 checksum so the downloaded installer can be verified before it is run.

First launch

On the first launch, sTori:

1. Starts its private local server on port 1822.
2. Creates its application database and managed library.
3. Adds the current user's Downloads\sTori Books folder as a managed library.
4. Downloads and indexes The Great Gatsby and Frankenstein as a starter shelf when internet access is available.

The starter downloads run in the background. Their state is visible under Download EPUBs.

Using sTori

Add an existing ebook library

1. Open Server in the desktop sidebar.
2. Find Libraries and select Add library.
3. Enter a display name.
4. Select Browse… and choose the folder that directly contains the books or author folders.
5. Select Add & scan.

sTori reads sidecar metadata and cover files when present, then falls back to metadata and cover art embedded inside EPUBs. Extracted covers are cached in sTori’s application data; source libraries are never reorganized or modified. Use Scan beside a library—or Refresh / rescan library in Settings—after adding or changing books.

Read and resume a book

1. Open Home, Library, Search, or a collection.
2. Select a book cover to open its detail page.
3. Choose Start reading or Continue reading.
4. Tap or click the center of the reader to reveal reading controls.

Reading progress is saved by the PC server and can be resumed from either the desktop or a paired iPhone.

Download public-domain EPUBs

1. Open Download EPUBs in the desktop sidebar.
2. Search the Project Gutenberg catalog by title or author.
3. Select Add to library.
4. Follow progress in the download queue.

Completed books are verified, imported into Downloads\sTori Books, and indexed automatically.

Collections, series, and search

• Search by title, author, series, or genre.
• Use Collections to browse inferred series and manually curated shelves.
• Genre rows on Home provide quick access to broader categories.

Settings, diagnostics, and backups

• Use the gear button for light/dark themes and app/reader font choices.
• Open Server to manage libraries, pairing, devices, diagnostics, and backups.
• The diagnostics cards report database health, available storage, and Windows Firewall status.

Connect an iPhone

1. Put the PC and iPhone on the same Wi-Fi network, or connect the iPhone to the PC's Windows Mobile Hotspot.
2. Keep sTori running on the PC.
3. Open Server in the sTori desktop app.
4. Select Create pairing code.
5. Scan the displayed QR code with the iPhone Camera app.
6. Open the link in Safari and complete pairing.
7. In Safari, select Share → Add to Home Screen to install the sTori web app.

The exact LAN address depends on the computer and network. The Server page detects and displays the appropriate address. Paired iPhones receive reader access only; library administration remains restricted to the desktop.

Troubleshooting

• The iPhone cannot connect: confirm both devices are on the same network, keep sTori open, and check the Windows Firewall diagnostic under Server.
• Port 1822 is already in use: close another running sTori development or desktop process and reopen the app.
• A library is empty: verify that the selected folder directly contains the intended book structure, then run Scan.
• Starter books do not appear: open Download EPUBs to inspect the queue and confirm the PC has internet access.
• The phone asks to pair again: create a fresh one-use pairing code from the desktop Server page.

Do not expose port 1822 directly to the public internet. sTori is designed for a trusted home LAN or personal hotspot.

Development

Requirements:

• Node.js and npm
• Rust stable
• The Tauri 2 Windows prerequisites

npm install
npm run build
npm run tauri dev

The desktop API is available at http://127.0.0.1:1822.

For browser-only development using a workspace-local database:

npm run build
cargo run --manifest-path src-tauri/Cargo.toml --features dev-server --bin stori-server

Tests

npm test
cargo test --manifest-path src-tauri/Cargo.toml

The Windows release helper creates an NSIS build under .release by default:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File scripts/release_windows.ps1

Privacy and security

sTori is designed for a trusted home network. Folder selection, rescanning, downloads, backups, and library administration are desktop-only operations. Paired reader clients can access indexed books and reading state but cannot browse arbitrary PC folders or manage libraries.

License

sTori is licensed under the MIT License.

Created by Aanish Farrukh / sudoaanish.

Copyright © 2026 Aanish Farrukh.