Multi-user Docker setup - sharing YACReader with family #502
Description
Hi! I've been using YACReader for years and wanted to share something I built that might be useful for the community.
Background:
I've always loved YACReader - it's been my go-to comic reader for a long time. The one thing I wished for was being able to share my comic library with my family while keeping our reading progress separate. My kids and I would start the same series, and we'd lose track of where each of us left off.
What I built:
I created a Docker-based multi-user setup that solves this. Multiple users can:
- Share the same comic library (same files, no duplication)
- Each person gets their own reading progress database (library_username.ydb)
- Use either the web UI or a modified Mac desktop client
- Everything stays in sync independently
Technical approach:
- Docker containers with environment variable
YACREADER_USER - Modified entrypoint script that creates per-user databases
- Same YACReader codebase, just configured differently
- Mac client launcher scripts to set the user context
Repository: https://github.com/jaapjan14/yacreader-multiuser
Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/r/jaap14/yacreader-multiuser
Why I'm sharing this:
This isn't a feature request or anything - just wanted to give back to the community after years of enjoying YACReader. If it helps other families share their comic collections, that's awesome. And of course, all credit goes to your excellent work building YACReader in the first place!
Maintenance note:
This project is stable and working well for my family's use. I've documented everything thoroughly so others can use it. That said, I'm not a YACReader developer - I built this Docker setup with AI assistance and my expertise is limited. I'm happy to help where I can, but I can't promise active feature development or deep code-level support. Pull requests welcome if others want to contribute!
Thanks for all the years of great software! 📚