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Calibredb by thedixitjain — Agent Skill

Name: Calibredb
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: thedixitjain

Calibredb

Manage and query Calibre libraries with the calibredb CLI (local paths or Calibre Content server URLs). Use when listing books, searching/filtering library records, reading/updating metadata, adding/removing formats, exporting books, maintaining custom columns, running library checks, managing FTS indexing/search, or creating catalogs/backups from a Calibre library.

thedixitjain 97df7f7 4 files · 10.3 KB Updated Sep 8, 2026 2 repo stars

File contents

CalibreDB

Use this skill for all command-line operations on Calibre libraries.

Library path

Calibre library locations are user-specific. Identify the target library path or Content server URL before running commands.
Prefer explicit path in every command: --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY".
If the user has not provided a library path, ask for it or inspect the local environment for an existing Calibre library before proceeding.
For machine-readable outputs, use --for-machine or JSON-capable subcommands.

Safety model

Start with read-only operations, then escalate only when needed.

Read-only (safe by default)

list
search
show_metadata
custom_columns
list_categories
check_library
fts_search
fts_index status

Mutating (confirm intent for destructive/irreversible)

Usually safe with clear intent: add, set_metadata, set_custom, add_format, embed_metadata, backup_metadata
Confirm before destructive actions: remove, remove_format, remove_custom_column, restore_database, fts_index reindex on full library

Core workflow

Identify target library and set --with-library.
Discover relevant book IDs with search (or list --search).
Inspect records with show_metadata or list --for-machine.
Apply minimal required mutations.
Validate with follow-up list/search/show_metadata.

Quick command patterns

1) List books

export CALIBRE_LIBRARY="/path/to/Calibre Library"
calibredb list --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" --fields id,title,authors,formats --limit 20

Machine output:

calibredb list --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" --fields id,title,authors,tags,formats --for-machine

2) Search and get IDs

calibredb search --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" "title:python"

Use IDs in follow-up commands.

3) Show metadata

calibredb show_metadata --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" 123

As OPF:

calibredb show_metadata --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" --as-opf 123

4) Update metadata fields

calibredb set_metadata --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" 123 \
  --field title:"Example Book" \
  --field tags:"python,reference"

5) Add/export books

calibredb add --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" "/path/to/book.epub"
calibredb export --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" 123 --to-dir "/tmp/export"

6) Library health check

calibredb check_library --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY"

Content server usage

To target a running Calibre Content server:

calibredb list --with-library "http://hostname:8080/#library_id" --username <user> --password <pass>

From docs: use special #- library id to list server libraries.

Security note: a literal --password <pass> value is passed as a process argument and may be visible to other users on shared machines via process-listing tools. Prefer --password '<stdin>' with the password piped from a password manager, or --password '<f:/path/to/file>' with a 0600 credential file stored outside the repository. Prefer local or trusted hosts for authenticated Content server commands, and redact credentials from shell history, logs, and task transcripts.

Reference files

Command matrix + options: references/command-matrix.md
Safe operational playbooks: references/safe-workflows.md

Source: hashgraph-online/awesome-codex-plugins → plugins/LVTD-LLC/skills/skills/calibredb/SKILL.md

---name: calibredbdescription: Manage and query Calibre libraries with the calibredb CLI (local paths or Calibre Content server URLs). Use when listing books, searching/filtering library records, reading/updating metadata, adding/removing formats, exporting books, maintaining custom columns, running library checks, managing FTS indexing/search, or creating catalogs/backups from a Calibre library.---# CalibreDBUse this skill for all command-line operations on Calibre libraries.## Library path- Calibre library locations are user-specific. Identify the target library path or Content server URL before running commands.- Prefer explicit path in every command: `--with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY"`.- If the user has not provided a library path, ask for it or inspect the local environment for an existing Calibre library before proceeding.- For machine-readable outputs, use `--for-machine` or JSON-capable subcommands.## Safety modelStart with read-only operations, then escalate only when needed.### Read-only (safe by default)- `list`- `search`- `show_metadata`- `custom_columns`- `list_categories`- `check_library`- `fts_search`- `fts_index status`### Mutating (confirm intent for destructive/irreversible)- Usually safe with clear intent: `add`, `set_metadata`, `set_custom`, `add_format`, `embed_metadata`, `backup_metadata`- Confirm before destructive actions: `remove`, `remove_format`, `remove_custom_column`, `restore_database`, `fts_index reindex` on full library## Core workflow1. Identify target library and set `--with-library`.2. Discover relevant book IDs with `search` (or `list --search`).3. Inspect records with `show_metadata` or `list --for-machine`.4. Apply minimal required mutations.5. Validate with follow-up `list/search/show_metadata`.## Quick command patterns### 1) List books```bashexport CALIBRE_LIBRARY="/path/to/Calibre Library"calibredb list --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" --fields id,title,authors,formats --limit 20```Machine output:```bashcalibredb list --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" --fields id,title,authors,tags,formats --for-machine```### 2) Search and get IDs```bashcalibredb search --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" "title:python"```Use IDs in follow-up commands.### 3) Show metadata```bashcalibredb show_metadata --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" 123```As OPF:```bashcalibredb show_metadata --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" --as-opf 123```### 4) Update metadata fields```bashcalibredb set_metadata --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" 123 \ --field title:"Example Book" \ --field tags:"python,reference"```### 5) Add/export books```bashcalibredb add --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" "/path/to/book.epub"calibredb export --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY" 123 --to-dir "/tmp/export"```### 6) Library health check```bashcalibredb check_library --with-library "$CALIBRE_LIBRARY"```## Content server usageTo target a running Calibre Content server:```bashcalibredb list --with-library "http://hostname:8080/#library_id" --username <user> --password <pass>```From docs: use special `#-` library id to list server libraries.Security note: a literal `--password <pass>` value is passed as a processargument and may be visible to other users on shared machines viaprocess-listing tools. Prefer `--password '<stdin>'` with the password pipedfrom a password manager, or `--password '<f:/path/to/file>'` with a `0600`credential file stored outside the repository. Prefer local or trusted hostsfor authenticated Content server commands, and redact credentials from shellhistory, logs, and task transcripts.## Reference files- Command matrix + options: `references/command-matrix.md`- Safe operational playbooks: `references/safe-workflows.md`---**Source:** [`hashgraph-online/awesome-codex-plugins`](https://github.com/hashgraph-online/awesome-codex-plugins) → `plugins/LVTD-LLC/skills/skills/calibredb/SKILL.md`

Frequently asked questions