Speed Reader

Minimalist web-based speed reading app using RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation). Read faster by displaying one word at a time.

Try it on GitHub Pages - works offline, no server needed for basic reading.

Why?

Inspired by this post on X:

An average 250-page book will be read in about 2 hours and 5 minutes at a reading speed of 500 words per minute.

Features

• RSVP reading with 10-word warm-up (100→500 WPM)
• Offline mode: Paste text or upload .txt files without server
• Three input modes: paste text, upload files (.txt/.epub/.mobi), or enter share code
• Share codes: Upload once, read anywhere with a 6-digit code (requires server)
• Adjustable speed: 100-1000 WPM (±50 WPM steps)
• Navigation: skip ±10 words
• Keyboard shortcuts: Space (play/pause), ↑↓ (speed), ←→ (navigate)
• Kindle & e-ink friendly - optimized for e-readers with minimal refresh
• Old browser support - works on IE8+, Kindle browsers, legacy devices

Quick Start

Docker Compose (Recommended)

docker-compose up -d

Access at: http://localhost:8000

Manual Setup

# Frontend
npm install && npm run build

# Backend
cd backend-go
go build -o server ./cmd/server
./server -static ../

Configuration

Flag	Env Var	Default	Description
-port	PORT	8000	Server port
-db	DATABASE_PATH	./books.db	SQLite database path
-static	STATIC_DIR	../	Frontend files directory
-rate-limit	RATE_LIMIT	120	Requests/minute per IP
-storage-days	STORAGE_DAYS	0	Book TTL (0=forever)

API Endpoints

Method	Path	Description
POST	/api/upload	Upload file (epub/mobi/txt)
POST	/api/text	Submit pasted text
GET	/api/book/{code}	Retrieve book by code
GET	/{code}	Direct link to reader
GET	/health	Health check

Tech Stack

• Frontend: JavaScript (Babel ES5), Kindle-compatible CSS
• Backend: Go, Chi router, SQLite, sqlc
• Features: Per-IP rate limiting, SHA256 deduplication, graceful shutdown