Pract — Android PDF reader with contextual English word meanings [public beta]

[Stas1928]

Hi everyone, I’m developing Pract because I kept interrupting my English PDF reading to copy unfamiliar words into Google.

Pract lets you hold a word or select a phrase, see a contextual English meaning and example, then continue reading. Lookups are saved, and vocabulary can be exported or imported as CSV. It also supports continuous scrolling, pinch zoom and reading-position resume.

Public beta and installation instructions:
https://stas1928-pixel.github.io/pract-beta/

Current limitations:
- Android APK, not on Google Play.
- Your own eligible Gemini API key is required for new explanations.
- Selectable-text PDFs only; no OCR or EPUB.
- AI explanations can be wrong. Selected text and a short surrounding excerpt go to Google; please don’t use confidential documents.
- This free-key beta is for adults in supported regions outside the EEA, UK and Switzerland. Full eligibility/privacy details are on the website.

I’ve tested it on my Samsung S24 FE, but other-device compatibility needs feedback.

I’d especially appreciate hearing whether selection and explanations preserve your reading flow, and whether API setup or installation gets in the way.

I’m the developer. Pract’s original source is private; this is a public evaluation beta.