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Version: Next

Database

This page covers database mode selection for OpenReader.

Database mode​

  • SQLite (default): embedded DB at docstore/sqlite3.db; good for local/self-host single-instance setups.
  • Postgres: enabled when POSTGRES_URL is set; recommended for production/distributed deployments.

What the database stores​

  • Document and audiobook metadata/state used by server routes.
  • Auth/session tables (user, session, account, verification) when auth is enabled — schema is auto-generated by Better Auth.
  • TTS character usage counters (user_tts_chars) for daily rate limiting (when enabled).
  • User settings preferences (user_preferences) when auth is enabled.
  • User reading progress (user_document_progress) when auth is enabled.
  • Document preview job/asset metadata (document_previews) for server-side PDF/EPUB thumbnails.

App-specific tables are manually maintained in Drizzle schema files, while auth tables are generated by the Better Auth CLI. Both are migrated together via Drizzle. See Migrations for details.

  • POSTGRES_URL

For database variable behavior, see Environment Variables.

State sync summary​

  • With auth enabled, settings and reading progress are stored in SQL and synced from the app.
  • With auth disabled, settings and reading progress remain local in the browser.
  • Sync is currently request-based (not realtime push invalidation).