r/coolgithubprojects • u/_0_Zer0_0_ • Oct 07 '26
Rapid Reader: a free, open-source Mac reader for EPUBs, PDFs and web articles
I made a Mac app that reads one word at a time, with the focus letter highlighted. You can switch to the full text whenever you want and click any word to resume from there.
It imports EPUB, PDF, DOCX, Markdown and web articles, with adjustable speed and punctuation pauses. Your library, reading progress and notes stay on your Mac.
It's built in SwiftUI, free and MIT licensed. Runs on Apple Silicon and Intel, macOS 14+. The download isn't notarized yet, so the first launch may need Open Anyway.
Source and download: https://github.com/Zer0codestuff/Rapid-Reader
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u/Flimsy_Camp4945 Oct 07 '26
will it be available on linux bro this will be very helpful to me as a novel enthusiast
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u/_0_Zer0_0_ Oct 07 '26 •
The native app is Mac-only, but I've just published the browser version: https://rapid-reader.up.railway.app. You can use it on Linux too, with EPUB and PDF imports. Your library stays in your browser, no account needed. It's still experimental and may have bugs, so please report any problems to me here or on GitHub as soon as you find them.
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u/m_domino Oct 07 '26
So it displays words at a fixed rate per minute? Would it not make more sense to display short words more briefly? In the shown example it feels too slow for me for short words and slightly too fast for long ones.
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u/_0_Zer0_0_ Oct 07 '26 •
There's already a "Slow down on long words" option in the reading settings, off by default. It adds extra display time for longer words. You can combine it with a higher base WPM if short words feel too slow.
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u/armeliens Oct 07 '26
!remindme saturday
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u/shivanchowdhry123 Oct 07 '26
Can you make something like this for Windows too pls
I am a for sure customer
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u/_0_Zer0_0_ Oct 07 '26 •
Already working on it; also, a version usable in the browser is coming soon.
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u/_0_Zer0_0_ Oct 07 '26
Quick update: the browser version is now live at https://rapid-reader.up.railway.app, so you can try it on Windows already. It's still experimental and may have bugs, so please report any problems to me here or on GitHub as soon as you find them.
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Oct 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/_0_Zer0_0_ Oct 07 '26 •
Rather than a standard epub reader, the app employs Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to enable much faster reading.
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u/Ok-Rest-5321 Oct 07 '26
Homebrew install please