📚 BookTrack v1.0.0
How to use BookTrack
Everything you need to know — from adding your first book, backing up your library, sharing your progress, to keeping your data safe across updates.
Introduction
What is BookTrack?
BookTrack is a 100% offline-first reading progress tracker. No account needed, no server, no cloud. Your data lives entirely in your browser's localStorage — fast, private, and always available.
Works offline too
Once loaded, BookTrack works even without internet — perfect for tracking books anywhere.
Features
Everything BookTrack can do
📖
Add Books
Track any book — physical, online, PDF, anything. Offline or online type.
📈
Track by Page or %
Use page numbers for physical books, or percentage for online books without page numbers.
🖼️
Custom Cover
Upload a cover image for each book. Stored locally in your browser.
✨
Share Card
Generate a beautiful 1080×1920 Instagram Stories card to share your progress.
💾
Export & Import
Download your entire library as JSON. Restore it anytime on any device.
🌙
Dark & Light Mode
Warm dark and light themes. Preference saved automatically.
📱
Installable PWA
Add to Home Screen on iOS and Android for a native app experience.
🔍
Search & Filter
Search by title or author. Filter by Reading, Finished, or New.
Adding a Book
Step by step
1
Click "Add Book"
Tap the orange Add Book button in the top-right corner of the app.
2
Fill in Title & Author
These are required. Keep them short and recognizable.
3
Choose tracking mode
Pages — for physical books or any book with page numbers. Enter total pages.
Percentage — for online books (e.g. web novels, PDFs without page numbers). No total pages needed.
Percentage — for online books (e.g. web novels, PDFs without page numbers). No total pages needed.
4
Upload a cover (optional)
Click the cover upload area and pick an image from your device. Max 2 MB. If skipped, a gradient placeholder is generated automatically.
5
Set book type
Offline — physical book. Optionally add a location note (e.g. "top shelf", "office desk").
Online — enter the URL so you can open it directly from the card.
Online — enter the URL so you can open it directly from the card.
6
Save
Click Save Book. The book appears instantly on your shelf.
Tracking Progress
Keep your reading up to date
1
Click "📈 Progress" on any book card
Each book card has a Progress button in the action row at the bottom.
2
Enter your current position
Page mode: type the page number or use the +/− buttons.
% mode: drag the slider or type a number from 0 to 100.
% mode: drag the slider or type a number from 0 to 100.
3
Click Update
Progress bar and percentage on the card update instantly. When you hit 100%, you'll get a 🎉 congratulations toast.
Status updates automatically
New → Reading → Finished based on your progress. No need to set it manually.
Backup your library (Export)
Download your data as a JSON file
When should you backup?
Before clearing browser data · Before switching devices · Before a major OS update · Whenever you want peace of mind.
1
Click the Download icon in the header
Look for the ↓ icon in the top-right header next to the theme toggle.
2
Save the file
A file named booktrack-backup-YYYY-MM-DD.json will download automatically. Move it to a safe place — Google Drive, iCloud, or your desktop.
3
Done — your data is safe
The JSON file contains all your books, progress, cover images, and metadata.
Good habit
Export once a week or after a big reading session. The file is small and easy to store anywhere.
Restore your library (Import)
Load data from a backup file
Import replaces current data
Importing a backup will overwrite your current library. Export first if you have unsaved changes.
1
Click the Upload icon in the header
The ↑ icon is right next to the download icon in the top-right header.
2
Select your backup file
Pick the .json file you exported earlier. Only BookTrack backup files are accepted.
3
Library restored instantly
All your books, progress, and covers are back. A toast confirms how many books were imported.
Data Safety
What keeps your data safe — and what doesn't
App updates do NOT delete your data
When BookTrack updates to a new version, only the app files (HTML/CSS/JS) are refreshed. Your localStorage data is never touched.
These actions WILL delete your data
• Clearing browser history/cache with "Clear site data" enabled
• Uninstalling the PWA from your phone
• Using a different browser or device
• Browser's automatic storage cleanup (rare, but possible on low storage)
• Uninstalling the PWA from your phone
• Using a different browser or device
• Browser's automatic storage cleanup (rare, but possible on low storage)
Best practice
Export a backup before clearing browser data or switching devices. Keep the file in Google Drive or iCloud for easy access.
Install as App
Add BookTrack to your Home Screen
🍎
iOS (Safari)
Open BookTrack in Safari → tap the Share button → tap "Add to Home Screen" → tap Add.
🤖
Android (Chrome)
Open BookTrack in Chrome → tap the 3-dot menu → tap "Add to Home screen" → tap Add.
🖥️
Desktop (Chrome / Edge)
Look for the install icon in the address bar → click Install. BookTrack opens as a standalone window.
Works offline after install
Once installed, BookTrack works fully offline. All app files are cached by the service worker.
App Updates
How versioning works
BookTrack uses semantic versioning. When a new version is deployed, a banner appears at the bottom of the screen notifying you of the update.
| Version | Type | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| v1.0.0 | Initial Release | Full feature launch — book tracking, % mode, cover upload, share card, dark/light mode, PWA, export/import. |
Update notification
When an update is live, an orange banner appears at the bottom with a Reload Now button. Your data is always preserved across updates.
FAQ
Common questions
No. App updates only refresh the HTML/CSS/JS files. Your localStorage data is completely separate and never touched during updates.
Yes, but data doesn't sync automatically. Export a backup on device A, then import it on device B. Repeat when you want to sync progress.
If you cleared site data without a backup, unfortunately yes — the data is gone. Going forward, use the Export button regularly to keep a backup safe.
Many online reading platforms (web novels, reading apps, online PDFs) show progress as a percentage rather than page numbers. Percentage mode lets you track those accurately without guessing total pages.
This can happen if the image failed to load or was too large. Make sure your cover image is under 2 MB and in JPG, PNG, or WebP format. Try removing and re-uploading the cover.
No. BookTrack is 100% client-side. All data stays in your browser's localStorage. Nothing is ever sent to a server — there is no server.