Kavita

Fast, feature-rich reading server built for manga

Kavita is a fast, feature-rich, cross-platform reading server built with a focus on manga and the goal of being a full solution for all your reading needs. Set up your own server and share your reading collection with friends and family. With support for manga, comics, books, and magazines in multiple formats, Kavita provides a modern web interface with user management, reading progress tracking, and extensive metadata support. QuickBox Pro installs Kavita from official GitHub releases with per-user systemd services, auto-incremented ports, and customizable library paths.

Installation

Basic Installation

Install Kavita for a specific user:

qb install kavita -u username

Advanced Installation with Custom Library Path

qb install kavita -u username --library-path '/mnt/storage/reading'

CLI Commands

Accessing Kavita

After installation, access Kavita at:

https://your-server-ip/username/kavita

First-Time Setup:

1. Create your admin account (username and password)
2. Set up reading libraries (Manga, Comics, Books)
3. Scan libraries for content
4. Start reading!

Initial Configuration

1. Create Admin Account

On first access, create your admin account:

1. Open Kavita web interface
2. Click Create an Account
3. Enter admin credentials:
   • Username - Your preferred admin username
   • Email - Optional email address
   • Password - Strong, unique password
4. Click Register
5. Login with your new credentials

2. Add Reading Libraries

Configure your reading libraries:

1. Click Admin Dashboard (gear icon)
2. Navigate to Libraries tab
3. Click Add Library
4. Configure library:
   • Name - Descriptive name (e.g., “Manga”, “Comics”, “Books”)
   • Type - Select library type:
     • Manga - Japanese manga and similar content
     • Comic - Western comics, graphic novels
     • Book - eBooks, light novels, magazines
   • Folders - Add folder paths:
     • Default: /home/username/.config/Kavita/library
     • Custom: Your specified --library-path during install
5. Click Add to save library
6. Repeat for additional libraries (Manga, Comics, Books)

3. Scan Libraries

Index your reading collection:

1. Go to Admin Dashboard → Libraries
2. Click Scan button for each library
3. Kavita will:
   • Detect series, volumes, and chapters automatically
   • Fetch metadata from configured sources
   • Generate thumbnails for covers
   • Organize content by series
4. Monitor scan progress in notification area
5. Once complete, browse your library

Service Management

Kavita runs as a per-user systemd service.

systemctl status kavita@username     # Check status
systemctl restart kavita@username    # Restart service
journalctl -u kavita@username -f     # View live logs
systemctl enable kavita@username     # Start on boot (already enabled)
systemctl disable kavita@username    # Prevent auto-start

Troubleshooting

Kavita Won’t Start

journalctl -u kavita@username -f

Check Kavita binary permissions:

ls -la /opt/username/Kavita/Kavita
# Should be executable (rwxr-xr-x)
 
# If not executable, fix permissions:
chmod +x /opt/username/Kavita/Kavita
systemctl restart kavita@username

Library Not Scanning

Reading Progress Not Syncing

# Verify database is writable
ls -la /opt/username/Kavita/config/kavita.db
# Should be owned by username:username
 
# Check database permissions
sudo chown -R username:username /opt/username/Kavita/config/
systemctl restart kavita@username

Metadata Not Fetching

# Check metadata settings
# Admin Dashboard → Settings → Metadata
 
# Enable metadata providers
# Settings → Metadata → Enable ComicVine
# Settings → Metadata → Enable AniList
 
# Provide API keys if required
# ComicVine: Requires free API key from comicvine.com
 
# Force metadata refresh
# Series page → Actions → Refresh Metadata

Cannot Login After Password Change

# Stop Kavita
systemctl stop kavita@username
 
# Reset admin password via sqlite
sqlite3 /opt/username/Kavita/config/kavita.db "UPDATE AspNetUsers SET PasswordHash='<new-hash>' WHERE UserName='admin';"
 
# Or reinstall (preserves library):
qb reinstall kavita -u username

OPDS Feed Not Working

# Verify OPDS is enabled
# User Settings → OPDS → Enable OPDS
 
# Get OPDS URL
# User Settings → OPDS → Copy OPDS URL
 
# Format: https://your-server-ip/username/kavita/api/opds/{apiKey}
 
# Test OPDS feed
curl -I https://your-server-ip/username/kavita/api/opds/your-api-key

Best Practices

Use Cases

Personal Manga Library

• Organize thousands of manga chapters with automatic volume detection
• Read manga with proper right-to-left page turning
• Track reading progress across devices with bookmark syncing
• Continue reading from where you left off on any device

Comic Collection Management

• Manage Western comics with issue number detection
• Series and story arc organization
• Metadata scraping from ComicVine for cover art and descriptions
• Create reading lists for crossover events and story arcs

Multi-User Reading Server

• Share library with family and friends
• Individual user accounts with separate reading progress
• Per-user reading lists and favorites
• OPDS support for mobile apps on tablets and phones

Related Applications

Additional Resources