Foliate: A Stylish and Modern E-Book Reader for the Linux Desktop

Finding a native, feature-rich, and beautifully designed e-book reader on Linux can be a challenge. Enter Foliate, a free and open-source application that aims to let you "read books in style." By leveraging modern GNOME technologies, Foliate provides a seamless and elegant reading experience that feels right at home on the Linux desktop.

A Rich and Modern Feature Set

Foliate is a comprehensive reading platform with a focus on both aesthetics and functionality:

• Read in Your Style: Open a wide variety of formats including EPUB, Mobipocket, Kindle, FB2, CBZ,and PDF files. You can read in either a paginated or continuous scrolled mode and fully customize the font, spacing, margins, and color scheme. To minimize distractions, the window controls hide automatically.
• Navigate with Ease: Effortlessly turn pages with 1:1 touchpad and touchscreen gestures. The sidebar provides a table of contents and a "find in book" feature, while a progress slider and navigation history make it easy to find your way.
• Portable Annotations: Your reading progress, bookmarks, and annotations are stored in plain JSON files. This makes them incredibly easy to export, back up, or sync using any tool or cloud storage service.
• Nifty Tools: Look up words in Wiktionary and Wikipedia, or translate passages with Google Translate. For accessibility, Foliate can also read text aloud using Speech Dispatcher.
• Advanced Rendering: The app fully supports right-to-left text, vertical writing, and fixed-layout books. It also includes advanced features like auto-hyphenation, popup footnotes, and media overlays.

As free and open-source software under the GNU GPL, Foliate is not just a great tool but also a transparent and community-driven project.

A Native App Built with Web Technologies

One of the most interesting aspects for developers is that Foliate is a GJS (GNOME JavaScript) application. This allows it to use JavaScript for its logic while rendering a fully native GTK interface, offering the best of both worlds: rapid development and a snappy, platform-integrated feel that Electron apps often lack.

Easy Installation on Any Linux Distro

Foliate is highly accessible to all Linux users. While you can build it from source, the easiest way to install it is via a universal package manager:

• Flathub: The recommended method for most users.
• Snap Store: Also available for users in the Snap ecosystem.

For any Linux user looking for a top-tier e-book reading experience that combines powerful features with a polished design, Foliate is a must-try application.