**10-second pitch:** Redlib is a private front-end like [Invidious](https://github.com/iv-org/invidious) but for Reddit. Browse the coldest takes of [r/unpopularopinion](https://redlib.matthew.science/r/unpopularopinion) without being [tracked](#reddit).
> 🔗 **Want to automatically redirect Reddit links to Redlib? Use [LibRedirect](https://github.com/libredirect/libredirect) or [Privacy Redirect](https://github.com/SimonBrazell/privacy-redirect)!**
An up-to-date table of instances is available in [Markdown](https://github.com/redlib-org/redlib-instances/blob/main/instances.md) and [machine-readable JSON](https://github.com/redlib-org/redlib-instances/blob/main/instances.json).
Both files are part of the [redlib-instances](https://github.com/redlib-org/redlib-instances) repository. To contribute your [self-hosted instance](#deployment) to the list, see the [redlib-instances README](https://github.com/redlib-org/redlib-instances/blob/main/README.md).
> Find Redlib on 💬 [Matrix](https://matrix.to/#/#redlib:matrix.org), 🐋 [Quay.io](https://quay.io/repository/redlib/redlib), :octocat: [GitHub](https://github.com/redlib-org/redlib), and 🦊 [GitLab](https://gitlab.com/redlib/redlib).
Redlib hopes to provide an easier way to browse Reddit, without the ads, trackers, and bloat. Redlib was inspired by other alternative front-ends to popular services such as [Invidious](https://github.com/iv-org/invidious) for YouTube, [Nitter](https://github.com/zedeus/nitter) for Twitter, and [Bibliogram](https://sr.ht/~cadence/bibliogram/) for Instagram.
Redlib currently implements most of Reddit's (signed-out) functionalities but still lacks [a few features](https://github.com/redlib-org/redlib/issues).
Teddit is another awesome open source project designed to provide an alternative frontend to Reddit. There is no connection between the two, and you're welcome to use whichever one you favor. Competition fosters innovation and Teddit's release has motivated me to build Redlib into an even more polished product.
- Redlib is themed around Reddit's redesign whereas Teddit appears to stick much closer to Reddit's old design. This may suit some users better as design is always subjective.
- Redlib is written in [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org) for speed and memory safety. It uses [Hyper](https://hyper.rs), a speedy and lightweight HTTP server/client implementation.
While originating as a fork of Libreddit, the name "Redlib" was adopted to avoid legal issues, as Reddit only allows the use of their name if structured as "XYZ For Reddit".
Several technical improvements have also been made, including:
- **OAuth token spoofing**: To circumvent rate limits imposed by Reddit, OAuth token spoofing is used to mimick the most common iOS and Android clients. While spoofing both iOS and Android clients was explored, only the Android client was chosen due to content restrictions when using an anonymous iOS client.
- **Token refreshing**: The authentication token is refreshed every 24 hours, emulating the behavior of the official Android app.
- **HTTP header mimicking**: Efforts are made to send along as many of the official app's headers as possible to reduce the likelihood of Reddit's crackdown on Redlib's requests.
Results from Google PageSpeed Insights ([Redlib Report](https://pagespeed.web.dev/report?url=https%3A%2F%2Fredlib.matthew.science%2F), [Reddit Report](https://pagespeed.web.dev/report?url=https://www.reddit.com)).
**Logging:** According to Reddit's [privacy policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/privacy-policy), they "may [automatically] log information" including:
- **Logging:** In production (when running the binary, hosting with docker, or using the official instances), Redlib logs nothing. When debugging (running from source without `--release`), Redlib logs post IDs fetched to aid with troubleshooting.
- **Cookies:** Redlib uses optional cookies to store any configured settings in [the settings menu](https://redlib.matthew.science/settings). These are not cross-site cookies and the cookies hold no personal data.
- **DNS:** The domain for the official instance uses Cloudflare as the DNS resolver. However, this site is not proxied through Cloudflare, and thus Cloudflare doesn't have access to user traffic.
- **Hosting:** The official instance is hosted on [Replit](https://replit.com/), which monitors usage to prevent abuse. I can understand if this invalidates certain users' threat models, and therefore, self-hosting, using unofficial instances, and browsing through Tor are welcomed.
[Docker](https://www.docker.com) lets you run containerized applications. Containers are loosely isolated environments that are lightweight and contain everything needed to run the application, so there's no need to rely on what's installed on the host.
Container images for Redlib are available at [quay.io](https://quay.io/repository/redlib/redlib), with support for `amd64`, `arm64`, and `armv7` platforms.
> These instructions assume the [Compose plugin](https://docs.docker.com/compose/migrate/#what-are-the-differences-between-compose-v1-and-compose-v2) has already been installed. If not, follow these [instructions on the Docker Docs](https://docs.docker.com/compose/install) for how to do so.
Copy `compose.yaml` and modify any relevant values (for example, the ports Redlib should listen on).
Start Redlib in detached mode (running in the background):
If you're using a reverse proxy in front of Redlib, prefix the port numbers with `127.0.0.1` so that Redlib only listens on the host port **locally**. For example, if the host port for Redlib is `8080`, specify `127.0.0.1:8080:8080`.
[Podman](https://podman.io/) lets you run containerized applications in a rootless fashion. Containers are loosely isolated environments that are lightweight and contain everything needed to run the application, so there's no need to rely on what's installed on the host.
Container images for Redlib are available at [quay.io](https://quay.io/repository/redlib/redlib), with support for `amd64`, `arm64`, and `armv7` platforms.
### Quadlets
> [!IMPORTANT]
> These instructions assume that you are on a systemd based distro with [podman](https://podman.io/). If not, follow these [instructions on podman's website](https://podman.io/docs/installation) for how to do so.
> It also assumes you have used `loginctl enable-linger <username>` to enable the service to start for your user without logging in.
Copy the `redlib.container` and `.env.example` files to `.config/containers/systemd/` and modify any relevant values (for example, the ports Redlib should listen on, renaming the .env file and editing its values, etc.).
To start Redlib either reboot or follow the instructions below:
Notify systemd of the new files
```bash
systemctl --user daemon-reload
```
Start the newly generated service file
```bash
systemctl --user start redlib.service
```
You can check the status of your container by using the following command:
> These are free hosting options, but they are _not_ private and will monitor server usage to prevent abuse. If you need a free and easy setup, this method may work best for you.
> If you're deploying Redlib using the **Docker CLI or Docker Compose**, environment variables can be defined in a [`.env` file](https://docs.docker.com/compose/environment-variables/set-environment-variables/), allowing you to centralize and manage configuration in one place.
>
> To configure Redlib using a `.env` file, copy the `.env.example` file to `.env` and edit it accordingly.
>
> If using the Docker CLI, add ` --env-file .env` to the command that runs Redlib. For example:
Assign a default value for each instance-specific setting by passing environment variables to Redlib in the format `REDLIB_{X}`. Replace `{X}` with the setting name (see list below) in capital letters.
Assign a default value for each user-modifiable setting by passing environment variables to Redlib in the format `REDLIB_DEFAULT_{Y}`. Replace `{Y}` with the setting name (see list below) in capital letters.
