What is OPDS
Connecting to OPDS servers is part of Panels Premium.
OPDS is a standard for content distribution. Most popular comic servers have adopted it so that third-party apps like Panels can reach their content.
Why use your own server
If you have a large collection, or you just don't want your files taking up space on your device, you have two options: keep your content in iCloud Drive, or keep it on a server you run yourself.
With a server, Panels can:
- Browse your whole collection as a library, without downloading it
- Stream comics straight from the server
- Download individual titles for offline reading
Which server to use
There are many OPDS implementations. For comics in particular we recommend:
Each has great documentation and an active community, so we suggest starting there to get your server running.
Connecting it to Panels
Once your server is up, adding it to Panels works the same way regardless of which one you chose.
We also have server-specific guides for Komga, Kavita and Calibre, and one on exposing your server over HTTPS if you want to reach it from outside your home.