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OPDS (Open Publication Distribution System) is an open standard for digital content distribution. OpenComic supports OPDS to let you browse, preview, and download comics and manga from online catalogs.

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What is OPDS?

OPDS provides a standardized way to:
  • Browse digital publications from online catalogs
  • Search for specific titles or authors
  • Download comics and manga directly to OpenComic
  • Track your reading progress across devices

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Default catalogs

OpenComic includes several default OPDS catalogs:

Feedbooks

Free and public domain ebookshttps://catalog.feedbooks.com/catalog/index.json

Project Gutenberg

Free eBooks since 1971https://m.gutenberg.org/ebooks.opds/

unglue.it

Free ebooks from creative commonshttps://unglue.it/api/opds/

textos.info

Spanish open library (Biblioteca virtual)https://www.textos.info/catalogo.atom

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Adding OPDS catalogs

1

Open catalog settings

Navigate to the OPDS section in OpenComic settings or sidebar.
2

Add new catalog

Click the add button to create a new catalog entry.
3

Configure catalog details

Enter the catalog information:
  • Title: Display name for the catalog
  • URL: OPDS feed URL (must start with http:// or https://)
  • Username: Authentication username (optional)
  • Password: Authentication password (optional)
4

Configure behavior

Set catalog preferences:
  • Auto-download: Automatically download when opening publications
  • Show on left: Display catalog in the sidebar for quick access
5

Browse catalog

Open the catalog to browse available publications.

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Catalog authentication

Some OPDS catalogs require authentication:

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Basic authentication

  • Username and password stored securely (encrypted)
  • Automatically sent with each request
  • Supports multiple authentication methods

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Authentication types

OpenComic auto-detects the authentication method:
  • Basic HTTP authentication
  • Token-based authentication
  • OAuth (for supported catalogs)
Credentials are encrypted and stored securely in your OpenComic configuration.

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Browsing catalogs

OPDS catalogs typically organize content into:
  • Categories: Genre, author, series groupings
  • Collections: Curated sets of publications
  • Facets: Filtering options (new releases, popular, etc.)
  • Search: Full-text search across the catalog

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Publication metadata

Each publication displays:
  • Cover image (poster)
  • Title and subtitle
  • Authors and contributors (writer, artist, colorist, etc.)
  • Series and collection information
  • Description and synopsis
  • Publication and modification dates
  • Number of pages
  • Language
  • Publisher and rights information

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Groups and navigation

Catalogs can organize content into:
  • Navigation feeds: Browse by category or collection
  • Publication groups: Related titles displayed together
  • Faceted navigation: Filter by criteria

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Searching catalogs

1

Open search

Click the search button while viewing a catalog (Ctrl+F).
2

Enter search query

Type your search terms (title, author, series, etc.).
3

Browse results

View matching publications with metadata and covers.
Search functionality depends on the catalog’s OPDS implementation. Not all catalogs support search.

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Downloading publications

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Download options

Publications may offer multiple acquisition links:
  • Direct download: Download file directly (CBZ, CBR, PDF, EPUB)
  • Buy: Purchase link (opens in browser)
  • Borrow: Temporary access (if supported)
  • Subscribe: Subscription required (opens in browser)
  • Sample: Free preview or sample

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Automatic downloads

When enabled, OpenComic automatically downloads and opens the best available format when you select a publication.Best format priority:
  1. CBZ/CB7 (comic archives)
  2. PDF documents
  3. EPUB books
When disabled, view publication details first and choose download options manually.

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Download location

Configure where OPDS downloads are saved: 
// Set download folder in settings
config.downloadOpdsFolder = '/path/to/downloads'
Downloads are:
  • Automatically added to your library
  • Tracked for later access
  • Associated with the catalog

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Publication details

View comprehensive metadata for each publication:

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Content information

  • Title and subtitle: Full publication names
  • Series: Part of a series or collection
  • Authors: Writers, artists, and contributors
    • Writer
    • Penciller/Artist
    • Inker
    • Colorist
    • Letterer
    • Cover artist
    • Illustrator
    • Editor
    • Translator
    • Narrator
  • Publisher: Publishing company
  • Pages: Number of pages

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Classification

  • Subject: Tags and categories
  • Genre: Content genre
  • Language: Publication language

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Additional details

  • Description: Short description
  • Long description: Extended synopsis
  • Rights: Copyright and licensing information
  • Identifiers: ISBN, DOI, or other identifiers
  • Web links: Related URLs
  • Release date: Publication date
  • Modified date: Last update

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Cover image caching

OpenComic caches cover images for better performance:
  • Automatic caching: Images cached as you browse
  • Poster generation: Creates optimized thumbnails
  • Persistent cache: Images remain cached between sessions

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Cache management

Covers are cached using:
  • SHA hash for unique identification
  • Efficient storage in OpenComic’s cache directory
  • Automatic cleanup of old entries

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Advanced features

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Faceted browsing

Many catalogs support facets for filtering:
  • New releases: Recently added content
  • Popular: Most downloaded or viewed
  • Featured: Editor’s picks
  • By date: Publication date ranges
  • By author: Filter by creator
Facets appear as filter options when browsing. OpenComic maintains navigation history:
  • Track current location in catalog structure
  • Quick navigation back to previous feeds
  • Resume browsing where you left off

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Multiple acquisition formats

When a publication offers multiple formats:
  1. OpenComic displays all available options
  2. You can choose the preferred format
  3. Each format shows file type (CBZ, PDF, EPUB, etc.)
  4. External links open in your default browser

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Continue reading and recent additions

Downloaded OPDS publications appear in:
  • Continue reading: Resume where you left off
  • Recently added: Newly downloaded content
  • Library: All downloaded publications

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Reading progress

OpenComic tracks:
  • Current page across all downloaded content
  • Last reading timestamp
  • Bookmarks and annotations

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Catalog management

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Edit catalog

Modify catalog settings:
  1. Select catalog from the list
  2. Click edit button
  3. Update title, URL, credentials, or behavior
  4. Save changes

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Remove catalog

Removing a catalog does not delete previously downloaded publications.
1

Select catalog

Choose the catalog to remove.
2

Confirm deletion

Confirm you want to remove the catalog.
3

Catalog removed

The catalog is removed from your list (downloads remain intact).

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OPDS URL formats

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Supported formats

  • OPDS 1.x: XML/Atom feeds
  • OPDS 2.0: JSON feeds
  • Mixed content: Automatically detected and parsed

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URL schemes

// Standard HTTP/HTTPS
https://catalog.example.com/opds/

// OPDS-specific protocol
opds://encoded-url
opdsf://encoded-url  // OPDS feed
opdss://encoded-url  // OPDS secure

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Best practices

Use trusted catalogs

Only add catalogs from trusted sources to ensure content safety.

Secure credentials

OpenComic encrypts stored passwords, but use unique passwords for each catalog.

Manage downloads

Monitor disk space usage as downloads accumulate.

Browse before downloading

Disable auto-download to preview metadata before committing to download.

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Troubleshooting

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Cannot connect to catalog

  1. Verify the URL is correct and accessible
  2. Check internet connection
  3. Confirm credentials if authentication is required
  4. Try accessing the URL in a web browser

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Invalid response errors

  • The catalog may be temporarily unavailable
  • The OPDS feed format may be unsupported
  • Check for server status messages

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Missing images or metadata

  • Some catalogs provide limited metadata
  • Images may require authentication
  • Network issues may prevent image loading

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Download failures

  1. Check available disk space
  2. Verify download folder permissions
  3. Ensure stable internet connection
  4. Try manual download if auto-download fails

Next: Tracking integration

Sync your reading progress with AniList and MyAnimeList

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