Does anyone knows if something similar to this app has a Linux Desktop alternative?

[iHarryPotter178]

It's not exactly a feature request, but I like this app and what it does, and want to do something similar on my Laptop to keep track of things. So I'm looking for a Desktop App which is available for Linux? Any Help would be appreciated.

[exstntlmsnthrp]

I've searched for a very long time and have never found anything like this for Linux.

[iHarryPotter178]

I've searched for a very long time and have never found anything like this for Linux.

Then, Waydroid is the solution, or do you use something else for this purpose?

[exstntlmsnthrp]

I've searched for a very long time and have never found anything like this for Linux.

Then, Waydroid is the solution, or do you use something else for this purpose?

I do not use it on Linux, only on my Android device. Besides, it's very convenient to use the barcode scanner when adding books.

[lucastucious]

I still use GCStar, that is not really the same but with the same purpose.

[mateusz-bak]

Openreads is written in Flutter which supports Linux Desktop. If there are people that would use it I can try to add the platform.

[iHarryPotter178]

That will be great.. Please do add it..

Openreads is written in Flutter which supports Linux Desktop. If there are people that would use it I can try to add the platform.

[lee-b]

Openreads is written in Flutter which supports Linux Desktop. If there are people that would use it I can try to add the platform.

This would be excellent, I think. Or perhaps even a server mode that serves the UI over the web, if that's possible with Flutter. I think most people would prefer to edit book details on a desktop machine, and only browse the collection or update reading status on mobile, or quickly add books to their reading list while they're talking to people, but still to fill in the details later on desktop.

[armand-leguillou]

Hi! I plan to no longer have a mobile phone in the future, but Openreads is essential! If a desktop version is possible and if the developpers have enough time, it could be great! Thanks for your work and for the app.

[RomanKovtyukh]

Hi @mateusz-bak, I've tried running it on linux.

System

• $ flutter --version

Flutter 3.29.0 • channel stable • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
Framework • revision 35c388afb5 (4 months ago) • 2025-02-10 12:48:41 -0800
Engine • revision f73bfc4522
Tools • Dart 3.7.0 • DevTools 2.42.2

• $ flutter doctor

Doctor summary (to see all details, run flutter doctor -v):
[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.29.0, on Arch Linux 6.14.7-arch2-1, locale en_US.UTF-8)
[✗] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices
    ✗ Unable to locate Android SDK.
...
[✓] Chrome - develop for the web
[✓] Linux toolchain - develop for Linux desktop
[!] Android Studio (not installed)
[✓] Connected device (2 available)
[✓] Network resources
! Doctor found issues in 2 categories.

• flutter devices

Found 2 connected devices:
  Linux (desktop) • linux  • linux-x64      • Arch Linux 6.14.7-arch2-1
  Chrome (web)    • chrome • web-javascript • Google Chrome 136.0.7103.113

Running

flutter pub get
flutter create .
flutter -d linux run

Observations

1. At startup it fails to create database

Launching lib/main.dart on Linux in debug mode...
Building Linux application...                                           
✓ Built build/linux/x64/debug/bundle/openreads

(software.mdev.openreads:52619): Atk-CRITICAL **: 16:10:46.343: atk_socket_embed: assertion 'plug_id != NULL' failed
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Localization initialized
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Start
[ERROR:flutter/runtime/dart_vm_initializer.cc(40)] Unhandled Exception: Bad state: databaseFactory not initialized
databaseFactory is only initialized when using sqflite. When using `sqflite_common_ffi`
You must call `databaseFactory = databaseFactoryFfi;` before using global openDatabase API

#0      databaseFactory.<anonymous closure> (package:sqflite_common/src/sqflite_database_factory.dart:29:7)
#1      databaseFactory (package:sqflite_common/src/sqflite_database_factory.dart:33:6)
#2      openDatabase (package:sqflite_common/sqflite.dart:83:10)
#3      DatabaseProvider.createDatabase (package:openreads/database/database_provider.dart:29:18)
<asynchronous suspension>
#4      DatabaseController.getAllBooks (package:openreads/database/database_controler.dart:30:16)
<asynchronous suspension>
#5      BookCubit._migrateCoversFromDatabaseToStorage (package:openreads/logic/cubit/book_cubit.dart:274:27)
<asynchronous suspension>
#6      BookCubit._initLoad (package:openreads/logic/cubit/book_cubit.dart:71:7)
<asynchronous suspension>

flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Init state
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Build
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Init Localization Delegate
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Init provider
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Load Localization Delegate
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Load asset from assets/translations
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Load asset from assets/translations
flutter: dynamic_color: Accent color detected.
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [WARNING] Unable to load asset: "assets/translations/en.json".
The asset does not exist or has empty data.
flutter: [🌎 Easy Localization] [DEBUG] Load asset from assets/translations
Syncing files to device Linux...                                   186ms

Flutter run key commands.
r Hot reload. 🔥🔥🔥
R Hot restart.
h List all available interactive commands.
d Detach (terminate "flutter run" but leave application running).
c Clear the screen
q Quit (terminate the application on the device).

A Dart VM Service on Linux is available at: http://127.0.0.1:38979...
The Flutter DevTools debugger and profiler on Linux is available at: http://127.0.0.1:9100...

1. On the first run it looked like first run on an android phone: four introduction screens one of which suggesting to restore/import database.
2. [ISSUE] None of those import buttons worked (just nothing happened). Maybe because of the database factory failures above
3. On the second run it didn't show the introduction screens; so it was able to write something on the disk, but I couldn't find where to delete it and go back to those screens
4. "Finished" screen hang on loading something (perhaps data from database)
5. settings menu leads to the settings screen
6. on the settings screen:

• worked well:
  • join the community -- opened the link in default system browser
  • help with translation -- same
• didn't work
  • support the development: can't open the menu with "become github supporter" and "buy me a coffee"
  • send feedback
  • rate the application
  • deleted books: tried working with database factory and failed, but switching to deleted books screen and back worked well.

The DatabaseFactory issue seems to be the first thing to look at.

PS: don't like the flutter installation method so far; to me downloading an archive and extracting it in a random place is a degradation in package management.

[RomanKovtyukh]

Created a PR with the sqlite configuration for linux (and windows) desktops. It's still failing to add new books (+ button doesn't work), but the "Finished" screen is not hanging on loading any more and no errors at the start.

[RomanKovtyukh]

Ok, the reason why the "Add book" button wasn't working is here: the code is written only for ios and android. Making android code a default branch and leaving ios under if worked: it was able to show the bottom menu and even switch to the "Search in open library" page.

Search page then worked fine to find a book by ISBN and to show it to me, but then the app crashed after I pressed "Add book". Switched to another view and crashed to be precise.

Failed here

Exception has occurred.
MissingPluginException (MissingPluginException(No implementation found for method blurHashEncode on channel blurhash))

Adding books manually works fine though. At least with the fields I quickly filled. The books didn't load at the next run.