How to Install Calibre-Web on Ubuntu 24.04

Calibre-Web is an open-source web application that allows you to manage and read your eBook library from a browser.
It provides an intuitive interface for browsing, searching, and reading books, while supporting multiple formats and user accounts.

The steps below walk you through installing Calibre-Web on Ubuntu 24.04.

Step 1 – Install Required Packages

First, install the system dependencies:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y python3 python3-venv python3-pip git sqlite3

• python3-venv & python3-pip: Required for creating a Python virtual environment.

• git: Needed to clone or manage Python packages.

• sqlite3: Provides a lightweight database for Calibre-Web configuration.

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• Step 2 – Create a Dedicated User

  Create a system user and group for Calibre-Web:

sudo useradd -r -m -d /opt/calibre-web -s /bin/bash calibre

This ensures Calibre-Web runs under its own user, improving security.

Step 3 – Set Up the Installation Directory

Create directories for the application and configuration:

sudo mkdir -p /opt/calibre-web
sudo chown -R calibre:calibre /opt/calibre-web

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• Step 4 – Create Python Virtual Environment

sudo -u calibre python3 -m venv /opt/calibre-web/calibre-web-env

Activate the virtual environment and install Calibre-Web:

sudo -u calibre /opt/calibre-web/calibre-web-env/bin/pip install --upgrade pip
sudo -u calibre /opt/calibre-web/calibre-web-env/bin/pip install calibreweb

• Optional dependencies (for markdown, requests, image processing):

sudo -u calibre /opt/calibre-web/calibre-web-env/bin/pip install markdown requests Pillow

Step 5 – Initialize Configuration

Create a configuration directory:

sudo -u calibre mkdir -p /opt/calibre-web/config

• The SQLite database app.db will be created automatically on the first web access. Admin credentials can also be set in the web interface.
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• Step 6 – Set Up Systemd Service

  Create a systemd service file at /etc/systemd/system/calibre-web.service:

[Unit]
Description=Calibre-Web service
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=calibre
Group=calibre
WorkingDirectory=/opt/calibre-web
ExecStart=/opt/calibre-web/calibre-web-env/bin/cps
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5
Environment=CALIBRE_DB_PATH=/opt/calibre-web/config

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload systemd and enable the service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now calibre-web

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• Step 7 – Configure Firewall

   

   

  Allow Calibre-Web’s default port (8083) through UFW:

sudo ufw allow 8083/tcp
sudo ufw reload

Step 8 – Access Calibre-Web

Open your browser and navigate to:

http://<your_server_ip>:8083

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• Congratulations! Calibre-Web is now installed and accessible on Ubuntu 24.04, ready to manage and serve your eBook library.