Vibecode Readwise Reader
track this build5 steps, step by step0%Saving articles and highlighting is easy; reliable extraction, mobile/offline reading, sync, Kindle/import integrations, RSS/PDF support, and review loops are real work.
You are building a lean indie version of Readwise Reader. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== README.md ===== # Readwise Reader indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core Readwise Reader workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Build a browser save endpoint, article extractor, reader view, highlights table, export to Markdown, and review emails. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - excellent parsing - mobile/offline apps - Kindle integrations - RSS/PDF workflows - spaced repetition - exports If those capabilities are essential, use wallabag instead of pretending the gap is solved. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs". ===== BUILD_PLAN.md ===== # Build plan ## Original build brief Build me a personal read-it-later app to replace Readwise Reader. Requirements: - A self-hosted web app (VPS or localhost): Node + Express + better-sqlite3, server- rendered with one clean reading column. - Save via a bookmarklet POSTing the URL; extract with @mozilla/readability + jsdom and store title, author, site, word count, and cleaned HTML. When extraction fails, keep the bare link with a 'source only' badge instead of mangling it. - Reading view: the cleaned article, estimated read time, and select-to-highlight (a little vanilla JS; store the highlight with surrounding context). - Library: Inbox, Archive, and per-tag lists; keyboard j/k to move, Enter to open, e to archive. - A highlights page grouped by article, plus a nightly node-cron export of all highlights to ~/highlights/YYYY-MM-DD.md so they outlive the app. - A daily review email with 5 random old highlights via Resend or SMTP (creds in .env). - Full-text search over articles and highlights with SQLite FTS5. - No accounts, no telemetry; if hosted, put it behind basic auth and HTTPS. - Out of scope: RSS ingestion, PDF/epub parsing, Kindle sync, and mobile apps. The browser is the reader. - README: bookmarklet install and SMTP setup. ## Required capabilities - hosted app - browser extension or share sheet - parser/extractor - database - email or notification service - optional OCR/PDF tools ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden. ===== .env.example ===== # Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
You are building a lean indie version of Readwise Reader. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== README.md ===== # Readwise Reader indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core Readwise Reader workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Build a browser save endpoint, article extractor, reader view, highlights table, export to Markdown, and review emails. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - excellent parsing - mobile/offline apps - Kindle integrations - RSS/PDF workflows - spaced repetition - exports If those capabilities are essential, use wallabag instead of pretending the gap is solved. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs". ===== BUILD_PLAN.md ===== # Build plan ## Original build brief Build me a personal read-it-later app to replace Readwise Reader. Requirements: - A self-hosted web app (VPS or localhost): Node + Express + better-sqlite3, server- rendered with one clean reading column. - Save via a bookmarklet POSTing the URL; extract with @mozilla/readability + jsdom and store title, author, site, word count, and cleaned HTML. When extraction fails, keep the bare link with a 'source only' badge instead of mangling it. - Reading view: the cleaned article, estimated read time, and select-to-highlight (a little vanilla JS; store the highlight with surrounding context). - Library: Inbox, Archive, and per-tag lists; keyboard j/k to move, Enter to open, e to archive. - A highlights page grouped by article, plus a nightly node-cron export of all highlights to ~/highlights/YYYY-MM-DD.md so they outlive the app. - A daily review email with 5 random old highlights via Resend or SMTP (creds in .env). - Full-text search over articles and highlights with SQLite FTS5. - No accounts, no telemetry; if hosted, put it behind basic auth and HTTPS. - Out of scope: RSS ingestion, PDF/epub parsing, Kindle sync, and mobile apps. The browser is the reader. - README: bookmarklet install and SMTP setup. ## Required capabilities - hosted app - browser extension or share sheet - parser/extractor - database - email or notification service - optional OCR/PDF tools ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden. ===== .env.example ===== # Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
You are building a production product version of Readwise Reader. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== PRODUCT.md ===== # Readwise Reader product brief ## Problem Saving articles and highlighting is easy; reliable extraction, mobile/offline reading, sync, Kindle/import integrations, RSS/PDF support, and review loops are real work. ## Product outcome Build a browser save endpoint, article extractor, reader view, highlights table, export to Markdown, and review emails. ## Target user A serious builder who needs a maintainable product foundation rather than a one-off demo. ## Required capabilities - hosted app - browser extension or share sheet - parser/extractor - database - email or notification service - optional OCR/PDF tools ## Explicit non-goals for v1 - excellent parsing - mobile/offline apps - Kindle integrations - RSS/PDF workflows - spaced repetition - exports ## Success criteria - The primary workflow is measurable end to end. - Setup is reproducible in a clean environment. - Failure, recovery, and support paths are documented. - Product claims match what the implementation actually guarantees. ===== ARCHITECTURE.md ===== # Architecture ## Starting brief Build me a personal read-it-later app to replace Readwise Reader. Requirements: - A self-hosted web app (VPS or localhost): Node + Express + better-sqlite3, server- rendered with one clean reading column. - Save via a bookmarklet POSTing the URL; extract with @mozilla/readability + jsdom and store title, author, site, word count, and cleaned HTML. When extraction fails, keep the bare link with a 'source only' badge instead of mangling it. - Reading view: the cleaned article, estimated read time, and select-to-highlight (a little vanilla JS; store the highlight with surrounding context). - Library: Inbox, Archive, and per-tag lists; keyboard j/k to move, Enter to open, e to archive. - A highlights page grouped by article, plus a nightly node-cron export of all highlights to ~/highlights/YYYY-MM-DD.md so they outlive the app. - A daily review email with 5 random old highlights via Resend or SMTP (creds in .env). - Full-text search over articles and highlights with SQLite FTS5. - No accounts, no telemetry; if hosted, put it behind basic auth and HTTPS. - Out of scope: RSS ingestion, PDF/epub parsing, Kindle sync, and mobile apps. The browser is the reader. - README: bookmarklet install and SMTP setup. ## Boundaries Separate the product into replaceable modules for interface, application logic, persistence, external integrations, and operational concerns. Keep domain logic independent from delivery frameworks and vendors. ## Production baseline - Configuration: validated at startup with safe local defaults where possible. - Security: least privilege, input validation, secret redaction, rate limits on abuse-prone paths, and no invented security primitives. - Data: explicit schema and migrations, transactional writes where integrity matters, backup and restore instructions. - Integrations: adapters around third-party providers, idempotent webhook or job processing, bounded retries, and timeouts. - Observability: structured logs with request or operation IDs, an error-tracking hook, and health/readiness checks where a server exists. - Quality: unit tests for domain rules, integration tests at module boundaries, and one end-to-end critical-path test. ## Decision records For each major dependency, document why it was chosen, its failure mode, and how it can be replaced. Do not introduce infrastructure until a requirement justifies it. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Read `PRODUCT.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.md` before changing code. - Implement milestone by milestone; keep each change reviewable and leave the application runnable. - Treat authentication, payments, encryption, imports, webhooks, and destructive actions as high-risk boundaries when present. - Never invent cryptography or silently weaken a requirement to make a test pass. - Use provider interfaces for external services and deterministic fakes in tests. - Add migrations and rollback or recovery notes for persistent data changes. - Log useful operational context without credentials, tokens, passwords, or personal data. - Update documentation and run all checks before completing a milestone. ===== MILESTONES.md ===== # Delivery milestones ## M0 — Decisions and scaffold - Confirm the runtime, persistence model, threat boundaries, and deployment target. - Create a reproducible local environment and continuous checks. ## M1 — Core workflow - Implement the smallest end-to-end product path with validation and tests. - Keep integrations behind interfaces. ## M2 — Trust layer - Add secure failure behavior, recovery paths, audit-relevant events, and data safeguards. - Test abuse cases and destructive operations. ## M3 — Operability - Add structured logs, error reporting hooks, health signals, backup/restore documentation, and deployment configuration. ## M4 — Release gate - Run a clean-install test, critical-path end-to-end test, dependency review, and documented rollback exercise. - Compare the shipped behavior with `PRODUCT.md` and publish remaining limitations. ===== OPERATIONS.md ===== # Operations ## Before release - Validate configuration and secrets at startup. - Define backup, restore, and rollback procedures and test them. - Document logs, error tracking, health signals, and alert ownership. - Set dependency update and vulnerability review expectations. ## Incident checklist 1. Contain the issue without destroying evidence or user data. 2. Record the timeline and affected scope. 3. Rotate exposed secrets and revoke compromised sessions or credentials. 4. Restore from a verified source when needed. 5. Document the root cause, remediation, and regression test. ## Launch constraint Do not market omitted Readwise Reader capabilities as implemented. The v1 non-goals in `PRODUCT.md` remain user-visible limitations until they are deliberately delivered.
# Readwise Reader indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core Readwise Reader workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Build a browser save endpoint, article extractor, reader view, highlights table, export to Markdown, and review emails. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - excellent parsing - mobile/offline apps - Kindle integrations - RSS/PDF workflows - spaced repetition - exports If those capabilities are essential, use wallabag instead of pretending the gap is solved.
# Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs".
# Build plan ## Original build brief Build me a personal read-it-later app to replace Readwise Reader. Requirements: - A self-hosted web app (VPS or localhost): Node + Express + better-sqlite3, server- rendered with one clean reading column. - Save via a bookmarklet POSTing the URL; extract with @mozilla/readability + jsdom and store title, author, site, word count, and cleaned HTML. When extraction fails, keep the bare link with a 'source only' badge instead of mangling it. - Reading view: the cleaned article, estimated read time, and select-to-highlight (a little vanilla JS; store the highlight with surrounding context). - Library: Inbox, Archive, and per-tag lists; keyboard j/k to move, Enter to open, e to archive. - A highlights page grouped by article, plus a nightly node-cron export of all highlights to ~/highlights/YYYY-MM-DD.md so they outlive the app. - A daily review email with 5 random old highlights via Resend or SMTP (creds in .env). - Full-text search over articles and highlights with SQLite FTS5. - No accounts, no telemetry; if hosted, put it behind basic auth and HTTPS. - Out of scope: RSS ingestion, PDF/epub parsing, Kindle sync, and mobile apps. The browser is the reader. - README: bookmarklet install and SMTP setup. ## Required capabilities - hosted app - browser extension or share sheet - parser/extractor - database - email or notification service - optional OCR/PDF tools ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden.
# Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
# Readwise Reader product brief ## Problem Saving articles and highlighting is easy; reliable extraction, mobile/offline reading, sync, Kindle/import integrations, RSS/PDF support, and review loops are real work. ## Product outcome Build a browser save endpoint, article extractor, reader view, highlights table, export to Markdown, and review emails. ## Target user A serious builder who needs a maintainable product foundation rather than a one-off demo. ## Required capabilities - hosted app - browser extension or share sheet - parser/extractor - database - email or notification service - optional OCR/PDF tools ## Explicit non-goals for v1 - excellent parsing - mobile/offline apps - Kindle integrations - RSS/PDF workflows - spaced repetition - exports ## Success criteria - The primary workflow is measurable end to end. - Setup is reproducible in a clean environment. - Failure, recovery, and support paths are documented. - Product claims match what the implementation actually guarantees.
# Architecture ## Starting brief Build me a personal read-it-later app to replace Readwise Reader. Requirements: - A self-hosted web app (VPS or localhost): Node + Express + better-sqlite3, server- rendered with one clean reading column. - Save via a bookmarklet POSTing the URL; extract with @mozilla/readability + jsdom and store title, author, site, word count, and cleaned HTML. When extraction fails, keep the bare link with a 'source only' badge instead of mangling it. - Reading view: the cleaned article, estimated read time, and select-to-highlight (a little vanilla JS; store the highlight with surrounding context). - Library: Inbox, Archive, and per-tag lists; keyboard j/k to move, Enter to open, e to archive. - A highlights page grouped by article, plus a nightly node-cron export of all highlights to ~/highlights/YYYY-MM-DD.md so they outlive the app. - A daily review email with 5 random old highlights via Resend or SMTP (creds in .env). - Full-text search over articles and highlights with SQLite FTS5. - No accounts, no telemetry; if hosted, put it behind basic auth and HTTPS. - Out of scope: RSS ingestion, PDF/epub parsing, Kindle sync, and mobile apps. The browser is the reader. - README: bookmarklet install and SMTP setup. ## Boundaries Separate the product into replaceable modules for interface, application logic, persistence, external integrations, and operational concerns. Keep domain logic independent from delivery frameworks and vendors. ## Production baseline - Configuration: validated at startup with safe local defaults where possible. - Security: least privilege, input validation, secret redaction, rate limits on abuse-prone paths, and no invented security primitives. - Data: explicit schema and migrations, transactional writes where integrity matters, backup and restore instructions. - Integrations: adapters around third-party providers, idempotent webhook or job processing, bounded retries, and timeouts. - Observability: structured logs with request or operation IDs, an error-tracking hook, and health/readiness checks where a server exists. - Quality: unit tests for domain rules, integration tests at module boundaries, and one end-to-end critical-path test. ## Decision records For each major dependency, document why it was chosen, its failure mode, and how it can be replaced. Do not introduce infrastructure until a requirement justifies it.
# Agent instructions - Read `PRODUCT.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.md` before changing code. - Implement milestone by milestone; keep each change reviewable and leave the application runnable. - Treat authentication, payments, encryption, imports, webhooks, and destructive actions as high-risk boundaries when present. - Never invent cryptography or silently weaken a requirement to make a test pass. - Use provider interfaces for external services and deterministic fakes in tests. - Add migrations and rollback or recovery notes for persistent data changes. - Log useful operational context without credentials, tokens, passwords, or personal data. - Update documentation and run all checks before completing a milestone.
# Delivery milestones ## M0 — Decisions and scaffold - Confirm the runtime, persistence model, threat boundaries, and deployment target. - Create a reproducible local environment and continuous checks. ## M1 — Core workflow - Implement the smallest end-to-end product path with validation and tests. - Keep integrations behind interfaces. ## M2 — Trust layer - Add secure failure behavior, recovery paths, audit-relevant events, and data safeguards. - Test abuse cases and destructive operations. ## M3 — Operability - Add structured logs, error reporting hooks, health signals, backup/restore documentation, and deployment configuration. ## M4 — Release gate - Run a clean-install test, critical-path end-to-end test, dependency review, and documented rollback exercise. - Compare the shipped behavior with `PRODUCT.md` and publish remaining limitations.
# Operations ## Before release - Validate configuration and secrets at startup. - Define backup, restore, and rollback procedures and test them. - Document logs, error tracking, health signals, and alert ownership. - Set dependency update and vulnerability review expectations. ## Incident checklist 1. Contain the issue without destroying evidence or user data. 2. Record the timeline and affected scope. 3. Rotate exposed secrets and revoke compromised sessions or credentials. 4. Restore from a verified source when needed. 5. Document the root cause, remediation, and regression test. ## Launch constraint Do not market omitted Readwise Reader capabilities as implemented. The v1 non-goals in `PRODUCT.md` remain user-visible limitations until they are deliberately delivered.
$ choose a build depth, inspect the files, then open the complete pack in your agent · this prompt is generated from the build plan · improve it via PR
They pay because all reading inputs flow into one durable highlight system.
xexcellent parsing
xmobile/offline apps
xKindle integrations
xRSS/PDF workflows
xspaced repetition
xexports
Readwise Reader pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| readwise full | $12.99/user | $9.99/user | Includes Reader plus Readwise highlight review and export; no separate Reader-only paid plan. |
free tierno free tier; 30-day trial
billingmonthly + annual; Reader is bundled only with Readwise Full
hidden coststhere is no cheaper Reader-only subscription; continuous subscribers retain their locked price, so legacy accounts may pay a different amount
verified 2026-08-13 · source ↗
Vibecode Readwise Reader
Kinda. The core of Readwise Reader is buildable in a weekend with the prompt on this page, but there are real gaps: excellent parsing, mobile/offline apps. Read the honest list above before committing.
How much does Readwise Reader cost?
Readwise Reader costs about $12.99/month (Readwise Full, checked 2026-07-30), which is $155.88 per year.
What do I lose by replacing Readwise Reader?
Honestly: excellent parsing; mobile/offline apps; Kindle integrations; RSS/PDF workflows; spaced repetition; exports. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Readwise Reader?
Yes: wallabag (Open-source read-it-later app with article extraction and self-hosted reading workflows.). Using prior art is also vibecoding; the prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.