About Dust
A media server built by readers, for readers
Our Mission
Dust was created to solve a simple problem: managing large digital book and comic collections shouldn't require complicated software or cloud services. Your library should be yours—hosted on your hardware, organized your way, with complete privacy and control.
We believe that personal media servers should be accessible to everyone, not just technical experts. That's why Dust focuses on simplicity, self-hosting, and extensibility.
Free and Open Source
MIT Licensed
Dust is released under the permissive MIT license. Use it, modify it, distribute it—commercially or personally—with minimal restrictions.
Community Driven
Dust is developed openly on GitHub with contributions from developers around the world. Everyone's welcome to contribute code, documentation, or ideas.
No Lock-In
Your data stays in open formats. No proprietary databases, no vendor lock-in, no subscriptions. Export your data anytime.
Privacy First
Self-hosted means your reading habits, library contents, and personal data never leave your server. No tracking, no telemetry, no cloud dependencies.
Transparent Development
Every line of code is open for inspection. See exactly how Dust works, verify security practices, and audit the codebase yourself.
Built to Last
Open source means Dust can live forever. Even if the original developers move on, the community can maintain and improve it indefinitely.
Technology
Dust is built with modern, performant technology designed for reliability and efficiency.
🚀 High Performance
Written in Zig for exceptional performance and low memory usage. Perfect for running on resource-constrained devices like Raspberry Pi or older hardware.
💾 SQLite Database
Uses embedded SQLite for zero-configuration storage. No separate database server required—everything in a single file that's easy to backup and restore.
🌐 Modern Web Client
Official web client built with Lit and TypeScript. Fast, responsive, and works on any modern browser. But feel free to build your own!
📡 RESTful API
Clean, well-documented REST API with JWT authentication. Build mobile apps, desktop clients, or integrations with other tools.
Who Uses Dust?
📚 Book Collectors
Manage thousands of eBooks with automatic metadata, cover art, and organization. Perfect for those with extensive digital libraries spanning multiple formats.
🏠 Homelab Enthusiasts
Add a media server to your homelab alongside other self-hosted services. Integrates nicely with reverse proxies, authentication systems, and monitoring tools.
👨👩👧👦 Families
Create separate accounts for family members with age-appropriate content filtering. Track reading progress individually and share a common library.
📖 Educators & Students
Organize textbooks, research papers, and educational materials in one place. Share access with study groups while maintaining control over your collection.
🎨 Comic Collectors
Manage comic collections with support for CBR/CBZ formats. Organize by publisher, series, and issue number with automatic cover detection.
👨💻 Developers
Build custom clients and integrations using the comprehensive REST API. Create tools that fit your exact workflow and reading preferences.
Our Principles
Simplicity Over Complexity
One-command installation, minimal configuration, and sensible defaults. Getting started should be measured in minutes, not hours.
Privacy by Default
Self-hosted architecture means your data stays with you. No analytics, no tracking, no phone-home features.
Extensibility Through APIs
The official client is just one option. Build what works for you using our comprehensive REST API.
Open Development
Development happens in the open on GitHub. Feature requests, bug reports, and contributions are always welcome.
Performance Matters
Fast response times and low resource usage. Run Dust on modest hardware without compromising functionality.
Get Involved
Dust is built by the community, and we'd love your help.
💻 Contribute Code
Found a bug? Want to add a feature? PRs are welcome! Check out our contributing guide to get started.
Contributing Guide📖 Improve Docs
Help make Dust easier to use by improving documentation, writing guides, or translating content.
View Docs🐛 Report Issues
Found a problem? Let us know! Detailed bug reports help us improve Dust for everyone.
Report Issue💬 Join Discussions
Share ideas, ask questions, and connect with other Dust users in our GitHub Discussions.
Join DiscussionReady to Start?
Set up your own Dust server and take control of your digital library.