CommaFeed — Self-Hosted Google Reader-Inspired RSS Reader

Introduction

CommaFeed is a self-hosted RSS and Atom feed reader that was originally created as a Google Reader replacement when that service shut down in 2013. It provides a clean, familiar interface for subscribing to feeds, organizing them into categories, and reading articles — all running on your own server with minimal resource requirements.

What CommaFeed Does

• Subscribes to RSS and Atom feeds with configurable refresh intervals
• Organizes feeds into categories with drag-and-drop management
• Provides keyboard shortcuts for efficient article navigation
• Supports OPML import and export for migrating between feed readers
• Offers a REST API and Fever API compatibility for third-party mobile clients

Architecture Overview

CommaFeed is a Java application built with Quarkus and packaged as a single executable JAR. It uses an embedded H2 database by default for zero-configuration deployment, with optional PostgreSQL or MySQL support for larger installations. The frontend is built with React, providing a responsive single-page application. Feed fetching runs on configurable background threads.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Run as a single Docker container or standalone JAR with Java 17+
• Uses embedded H2 database by default; no external database needed
• Optionally configure PostgreSQL or MySQL for multi-user deployments
• Set environment variables for database URL, admin credentials, and fetch intervals
• Reverse proxy behind Nginx or Caddy for HTTPS access

Key Features

• Google Reader-like interface with list and expanded reading modes
• Keyboard shortcuts (j/k navigation, s for star, m for mark read)
• Fever API support enabling use with Reeder, Unread, and other mobile clients
• Multi-user support with individual feed subscriptions per account
• Lightweight resource usage suitable for low-powered servers

Comparison with Similar Tools

• FreshRSS — PHP-based with more extensions; CommaFeed is simpler with a single JAR
• Miniflux — Go-based minimalist reader; CommaFeed offers a richer Google Reader-style UI
• Tiny Tiny RSS — PHP with plugin system; CommaFeed has lower maintenance overhead
• Feedly — SaaS with discovery features; CommaFeed is self-hosted and ad-free

FAQ

Q: Can I migrate from Google Reader or another service? A: Yes. CommaFeed supports OPML import, which is the standard format exported by most feed readers.

Q: How many feeds can it handle? A: CommaFeed handles hundreds of feeds efficiently. For thousands of feeds with many users, switching from H2 to PostgreSQL is recommended.

Q: Does it support mobile apps? A: CommaFeed implements the Fever API, so any mobile RSS client that supports Fever (such as Reeder or Unread) can connect to your instance.

Q: Is there a browser extension? A: There is no official extension, but the REST API allows integration with automation tools and custom scripts.

Sources

• https://github.com/Athou/commafeed
• https://www.commafeed.com