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Run Calibre-Web Automated (CWA) in Docker Compose with three separate persistent directories: /config for settings, /cwa-book-ingest for incoming ebook files, and /calibre-library for the Calibre library. Publish the container’s port 8083, point CWA at the directory containing metadata.db, and use the companion downloader only for books you are legally entitled to obtain.
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This layout works on a Linux server, desktop, or NAS. The important details are keeping the mounts separate, preserving the database and book files together, and enabling network-share mode when the library is stored on NFS or SMB.
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What Calibre-Web Automated does
Calibre-Web Automated combines the browser-based library interface associated with Calibre-Web with Calibre’s library management features and additional automation. It lets you browse a collection, read in a browser, download original files, manage user accounts and shelves, expose an OPDS feed, and optionally synchronize with Kobo devices.
The downloader companion, Shelfmark/Calibre-Web Automated Book Downloader, is a search-and-request interface. It is not a distribution license: you remain responsible for obtaining files from sources and under terms that permit your use. Once you have an authorized ebook, CWA can analyze it, convert it when configured to do so, import it into the library, and remove the temporary ingest copy.
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Plan the storage layout before installing
Create three host directories on the machine that will run Docker. They may live below one parent directory, but they must remain distinct mounts inside the container.
| Host purpose | Container path | What belongs there | Persistence and cautions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application configuration | /config |
Settings, logs, and application state | Back up it with the library; do not treat it as disposable. |
| Book ingest drop folder | /cwa-book-ingest |
New, legally obtained ebook files awaiting processing | CWA removes files after processing, so keep originals elsewhere if you need an archive. |
| Calibre library | /calibre-library |
metadata.db, ebook files, covers, and Calibre’s folder structure |
Back up the database, books, and covers together. |
Place the library on local storage when possible. Local disks retain SQLite write-ahead logging and normal file-event watching, which generally gives faster updates and simpler locking than a network filesystem. A NAS share is workable, but it requires an explicit configuration change described below.
Choose a host path and ownership
For example, you might create /srv/cwa/config, /srv/cwa/ingest, and /srv/cwa/library on a Linux host. The names on the host are arbitrary; the container paths are the values CWA must see. Set the container’s PUID, PGID, and timezone to match an account that can read and write the three directories.
On a NAS, create the folders through the NAS share-management interface or over SSH, then verify that the account represented by your chosen UID and GID can create, rename, and delete a test file. Permission failures during import are almost always an ownership, ACL, or read-only-share problem rather than a CWA setting.
Prepare Docker and the Compose service
- Install Docker Engine and the Docker Compose plugin on the server or NAS. Confirm both respond with
docker --versionanddocker compose version. - Create the three host directories and assign ownership that matches the UID and GID you will pass to the container.
- Download the current CWA Compose template from the project documentation. Keep its image reference and service options current; image names and tags can change, while the mount requirements below remain the key layout.
- Edit the template so the host-side paths point to your directories, set
PUID,PGID, andTZ, and publish port 8083.
The essential Compose portions look like this:
ports:
- "8083:8083"
volumes:
- /srv/cwa/config:/config
- /srv/cwa/ingest:/cwa-book-ingest
- /srv/cwa/library:/calibre-library
environment:
- PUID=1000
- PGID=1000
- TZ=Etc/UTCReplace the example host paths and numeric IDs with values from your machine. The snippet shows the required mappings; use the complete, current service definition supplied with the CWA project rather than inventing an image tag from an old guide.
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Start the container and read its logs
- Save the Compose file in a dedicated directory and change into it.
- Run
docker compose up -d. - Check status with
docker compose ps. A running container should show port 8083 published on the host. - If it exits, run
docker compose logs --tail=200. Look first for an invalid bind path, permission denial, an occupied port, or a malformed environment value. - Open
http://your-server-ip:8083from a browser on the same network.
Do not confuse a host path such as /srv/cwa/library with the path inside the container. CWA’s library selector must use /calibre-library, exactly as mapped above.
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CWA identifies a Calibre library through its metadata.db file. During first-run configuration, select /calibre-library when that directory already contains the database and book folders. If no database exists, CWA can create a new one in that location.
Keep metadata.db, the book directories, and covers together unless you deliberately use CWA’s split-library feature. Moving only the database or only the book folders produces missing-book paths, broken covers, or an apparently empty library.
When more than one database exists
If the mounted directory contains multiple Calibre databases, CWA’s configuration documentation says it automatically mounts the largest library. That behavior can surprise you after a migration or test import. Remove stale databases from the mount, move them outside the library path, or use the documented split-library arrangement so the intended collection is unambiguous.
Existing Calibre users
Stop other applications that write to the library while you perform the first migration. Copy the entire Calibre library, including metadata.db, book files, and covers, into the host directory mapped to /calibre-library. Preserve the directory structure and verify that the container UID and GID can write to it before starting an import.
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Configure the downloader-to-library workflow
The ingest folder is a processing queue, not a permanent archive. The normal sequence is:
- Use the downloader interface to search and request a title from a source you are allowed to use.
- Place the resulting ebook file in the host directory mapped to
/cwa-book-ingest. - Wait for CWA to detect the file, analyze its metadata, and convert it if your configuration calls for conversion.
- Open the library in the web UI and verify the title, author, cover, format, and file path.
- After successful processing, expect the file in the ingest directory to be removed.
Test with one small, authorized ebook before adding a large batch. A single-file test makes it clear whether watching, permissions, metadata extraction, conversion, and database writes all work. Keep a separate backup or source archive if you need to reprocess a file later; the ingest directory itself is intentionally disposable.
Metadata and conversion checks
- Confirm the title and author are not split incorrectly by unusual filename conventions.
- Open the imported file in the browser reader or download it to verify that the format is usable.
- If conversion is enabled, compare the converted output with the original and retain the original outside the ingest queue when your rights permit it.
- Check the CWA logs when a file remains in the queue, disappears without appearing in the library, or imports with missing cover art.
Run CWA on a NAS or network share
CWA supports NFS and SMB deployments through NETWORK_SHARE_MODE=true. Enable this environment variable when /calibre-library or the application databases are stored on a network filesystem.
Network-share mode makes three deliberate changes:
- It disables SQLite write-ahead logging for
metadata.dbandapp.db, avoiding locking behavior that many network filesystems do not implement reliably. - It skips recursive ownership changes that can fail or be unsafe on mounted shares.
- It replaces inotify-based file watching with polling.
Polling uses more I/O and can introduce a short delay before a new ingest file is noticed. That is the trade-off for safer operation over NFS or SMB. Local disks should keep the default behavior unless they are themselves provided through a network mount.
NAS permission checklist
- Map the share into the host first, then bind-mount that host path into the container.
- Ensure the UID and GID passed through
PUIDandPGIDhave read/write permission on the share and its parent directories. - Test file creation, rename, and deletion from the host account before starting CWA.
- Set
NETWORK_SHARE_MODE=truein the Compose environment. - Import one test book and watch the logs long enough to confirm polling detects it.
Secure remote access
Port 8083 is suitable for access on a trusted home LAN. Do not expose the container directly to the public internet. For remote use, terminate HTTPS at a reverse proxy such as Nginx or Apache, forward only the required host, and restrict administrative access with firewall rules or a VPN.
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Use a valid TLS certificate, strong unique administrator credentials, and separate user accounts for household readers. Calibre-Web’s account and shelf features let you avoid sharing one administrator login. If your proxy is on another host, forward traffic to the internal CWA address and keep Docker’s 8083 binding off the public interface where your firewall permits it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.First-run configuration checklist
- Install Docker and Compose.
- Create separate config, ingest, and library directories.
- Set host ownership,
PUID,PGID, and timezone. - Apply the current CWA Compose template with the three required mounts and
8083:8083. - Start with
docker compose up -dand inspect logs. - Open the web UI and complete administrator settings.
- Choose
/calibre-libraryas the library path, or allow CWA to create a new database there. - Drop one authorized ebook into the ingest directory and verify analysis, conversion, and import.
- Configure backups for both the library and
/config. - For NFS or SMB, enable
NETWORK_SHARE_MODE=trueand repeat the single-file test. - After the basic workflow is stable, configure OPDS or Kobo synchronization for reading devices.
Backups and recovery
Back up the Calibre library and CWA configuration as separate but complementary datasets. The library backup must include metadata.db, every book file, and covers. The configuration backup must include the contents of /config, including settings and logs that may help diagnose a failed migration.
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Common failures and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The UI cannot be opened | Container stopped, port conflict, or firewall rule | Run docker compose ps, inspect logs, verify 8083 is free, and allow the port only on the intended network. |
| Library appears empty | Wrong path inside the container | Select /calibre-library, not the host path, and confirm that metadata.db is directly under the mounted directory. |
| Books are not imported | Ingest permissions, watcher mode, or unsupported share behavior | Test write access, inspect logs, and set NETWORK_SHARE_MODE=true for NFS/SMB. |
| Files vanish from ingest but no book appears | Processing or metadata error | Review CWA logs, test a different authorized file, and check whether the selected database is the intended one. |
| Permission denied on startup | Host ownership does not match PUID/PGID | Adjust directory ownership or ACLs and restart the service. |
| Duplicate or unexpected titles appear | Multiple databases or stale files in the library mount | Remove obsolete databases from the mount or configure the documented split-library layout. |
Implementation choices compared
| Choice | Advantages | Costs and risks | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local disk | SQLite WAL and event watching remain available; lower latency | Uses local capacity and requires a backup strategy | Most predictable CWA deployment |
| NFS or SMB share | Centralized NAS storage and easier expansion | Requires network-share mode, polling, and careful locking and permissions | Libraries that must live on shared storage |
| One combined library | Simpler paths and fewer configuration decisions | Database and books must move together | Most home servers |
| Split-library arrangement | Allows deliberate placement of databases and books | More configuration and more ways to select the wrong path | Advanced storage layouts |
| CWA | Calibre-Web interface plus Calibre features, ingest processing, conversion, and automation | More moving parts than a minimal viewer; requires Docker maintenance | Readers who want an automated import pipeline |
| Stock Calibre-Web image | Smaller feature set and conventional mounts | No CWA ingest automation | Users who already organize books outside the web service |
| Browser or OPDS | Works across many devices and apps; no vendor-specific synchronization required | Reading experience depends on the client | Mixed-device households |
| Kobo synchronization | Convenient transfer to compatible Kobo eReaders | Requires Kobo-compatible hardware and account configuration | Readers committed to that device ecosystem |
How the stock Calibre-Web layout differs
If you run a conventional LinuxServer Calibre-Web image instead of CWA, its customary mounts are /config and /books, with the interface at http://your-ip:8083. The initial library path is /books. Its documented default login is admin / admin123; change that password immediately after first login on any real deployment.
That layout is not interchangeable with CWA’s ingest mapping. A CWA deployment expects /calibre-library for the library and a separate /cwa-book-ingest queue. Reusing a Compose file from one image without changing the in-container paths can leave the service running while pointing at the wrong directory.
Reading options after setup
Once imports are reliable, Calibre-Web’s OPDS endpoint can feed compatible reading applications, while browser reading and original-file downloads cover devices that do not support OPDS. Optional Kobo synchronization is useful when your household uses compatible Kobo eReaders, but it is not required for a functioning self-hosted library.
Keep these access methods behind the same authentication and TLS controls as the web interface. OPDS credentials and downloadable originals should be treated as library access, not as an anonymous public feed.
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