Turn PWAs into dedicated Kindle homebrew app? (Overdrive Libby support)

TOMillr · 10-04-2026, 06:12 AM

I'm curious why we haven't seen an increase in homebrew apps for jailbroken Kindles. Wouldn't it be possible to turn existing progressive web apps (PWA) into a dedicated app?

I'd love to have an app for Overdrive Libby or an rss reader like Reabble on my Kindle.

JSWolf · 10-04-2026, 08:55 AM

Get an Onyx Boox Reader that uses Android and then you'll get to install the apps you want.

TOMillr · 10-04-2026, 10:16 AM

I'm familiar with the various Android-based readers made by Boox, Viwoods and the likes. But that's not what I'm talking about.

A select handful of homebrew apps would make a sensible addition to a jailbroken Kindle for many users, I'm sure.

Being able to read books and magazines from your local library through a dedicated Libby app, should be an enticing proposition to do a jailbreak.

dandaman · 10-04-2026, 11:02 AM

You actually could, for example Illusion is a great framework to make apps for Kindle

JSWolf · 10-04-2026, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOMillr

I'm familiar with the various Android-based readers made by Boox, Viwoods and the likes. But that's not what I'm talking about.

A select handful of homebrew apps would make a sensible addition to a jailbroken Kindle for many users, I'm sure.

Being able to read books and magazines from your local library through a dedicated Libby app, should be an enticing proposition to do a jailbreak.

Unless you have a Scribe, forget magazines. Most (I think) are PDF and as we know, PDF on the smaller eInk screen is not good.

TOMillr · 10-04-2026, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dandaman

You actually could, for example Illusion is a great framework to make apps for Kindle

That sounds promising. Is there any documentation on Illusion? The links to Github I was able to find Kindle Modding Wiki seem to be down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Unless you have a Scribe, forget magazines. Most (I think) are PDF and as we know, PDF on the smaller eInk screen is not good.

Again, you've failed to provide anything meaningful to my initial question. And you're response shows, that you've obviously no clue how Libby actually works and why it might be useful to other users.

JSWolf · 10-05-2026, 09:19 AM

I know how Libby works. I use it a lot. But I also know how eInk screens work with PDF. And most magazines will be PDF and they won't display well enough on an eInk screen that's too small.

mercy · Yesterday, 12:50 PM

i haven't tried it because my library doesn't use libby, but maybe https://github.com/cyberchicken1231/kLibby would be of use :-)

i do think it's interesting that i haven't seen many PWAs turned into kindle apps (maybe future plans for me..?)

rantanplan · Yesterday, 12:57 PM

There are no releases and the last update was about 10 months ago. I think klibby is abandoned.

Frogm4n · Yesterday, 01:07 PM

The project had barely a week of commit activity total. Pretty common way to ID vibe coded slop anymore.

rantanplan · Yesterday, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

The project had barely a week of commit activity total. Pretty common way to ID vibe coded slop anymore.

Claude code will not help you break DRM, so that might have been the issue

.

slm · Yesterday, 01:21 PM

PWAs run in a browser. Unless you are installing a different browser when you jailbreak, the PWA would have to be run using Kindle's browser engine and memory.
I have tried running a bunch of web apps on the Kindle browser, most of them not very high-tech. Only the simplest run reliably. I gave up and moved to the Pockebook ereader, whose browser is much more capable--its basically a recent version of Chrome.

10-04-2026, 06:12 AM	#1
TOMillr Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 24 Join Date: Jul 2024 Device: Kindle Oasis	Turn PWAs into dedicated Kindle homebrew app? (Overdrive Libby support) I'm curious why we haven't seen an increase in homebrew apps for jailbroken Kindles. Wouldn't it be possible to turn existing progressive web apps (PWA) into a dedicated app? I'd love to have an app for Overdrive Libby or an rss reader like Reabble on my Kindle.

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10-04-2026, 08:55 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 85,388 Karma: 154365103 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Get an Onyx Boox Reader that uses Android and then you'll get to install the apps you want.

10-04-2026, 10:16 AM	#3
TOMillr Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 24 Join Date: Jul 2024 Device: Kindle Oasis	I'm familiar with the various Android-based readers made by Boox, Viwoods and the likes. But that's not what I'm talking about. A select handful of homebrew apps would make a sensible addition to a jailbroken Kindle for many users, I'm sure. Being able to read books and magazines from your local library through a dedicated Libby app, should be an enticing proposition to do a jailbreak.

10-04-2026, 11:02 AM	#4
dandaman Addict Posts: 330 Karma: 222 Join Date: May 2026 Location: London, United Kingdom Device: Kindle PW3, PW6	You actually could, for example Illusion is a great framework to make apps for Kindle

10-05-2026, 09:19 AM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 85,388 Karma: 154365103 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I know how Libby works. I use it a lot. But I also know how eInk screens work with PDF. And most magazines will be PDF and they won't display well enough on an eInk screen that's too small.

Yesterday, 12:50 PM	#8
mercy Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2026 Device: Kindle Basic 2022	i haven't tried it because my library doesn't use libby, but maybe https://github.com/cyberchicken1231/kLibby would be of use :-) i do think it's interesting that i haven't seen many PWAs turned into kindle apps (maybe future plans for me..?)

Yesterday, 12:57 PM	#9
rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 1,378 Karma: 13544822 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Libra 2, Tolino Vision Color, reMarkable PaperPro	There are no releases and the last update was about 10 months ago. I think klibby is abandoned.

Yesterday, 01:07 PM	#10
Frogm4n Guru Posts: 727 Karma: 4500001 Join Date: Jul 2023 Device: Scribe 2022, OA2, PRS-350	The project had barely a week of commit activity total. Pretty common way to ID vibe coded slop anymore.

Yesterday, 01:21 PM	#12
slm (who/what) Posts: 587 Karma: 5500000 Join Date: Feb 2003 Device: Kindle: Voyage,PW1,KOA, Kobo: Clara Colour, Nook GLP, Pocketbook verse	PWAs run in a browser. Unless you are installing a different browser when you jailbreak, the PWA would have to be run using Kindle's browser engine and memory. I have tried running a bunch of web apps on the Kindle browser, most of them not very high-tech. Only the simplest run reliably. I gave up and moved to the Pockebook ereader, whose browser is much more capable--its basically a recent version of Chrome.