Redlib — Self-hosted Reddit browsing without the bloat

Introduction

Welcome to another week of self-hosting various services in my homelab. This week, we’re tackling one of the most important aspects of online privacy - how to browse Reddit without compromising your personal data or dealing with the increasingly bloated official interface.

I’ve been using various Reddit frontends over the years - from the old Reddit interface to third-party mobile apps - but the changes to Reddit’s API and the increasing focus on data collection made me look for better alternatives.

That’s when I discovered Redlib, and it has completely changed how I consume Reddit content. What sets it apart isn’t just its privacy-first approach, but how it actually works reliably while being blazing fast and completely bloat-free.

What is Redlib?

Redlib ↗️ is an open-source, privacy-focused alternative frontend for Reddit, written in Rust. It’s designed to provide a seamless Reddit browsing experience without the ads, trackers, JavaScript bloat, and privacy concerns that come with the official Reddit interface.

What really drew me to Redlib was its impressive feature set:

• Zero JavaScript - Pure server-side rendering for maximum speed
• No ads or tracking - Clean, distraction-free browsing experience
• All requests proxied - Your IP address never touches Reddit’s servers
• Blazing fast performance - Built with Rust and the Hyper HTTP library
• Strong Content Security Policy - Additional security layer
• Lightweight design - Minimal resource usage and fast load times
• Customizable interface - Themes, layout options, and content filtering
• SFW-only mode - Perfect for work environments
• RSS feed support - Subscribe to subreddits via RSS

And the best part? It’s completely open-source and actively maintained, addressing the reliability issues that plagued its predecessor.

Why Redlib Over Other Reddit Frontends?

Having tried various Reddit alternatives over the years, here’s what makes Redlib stand out:

1. Actually Works: Unlike many Reddit frontends that struggle with rate limiting, Redlib uses clever client emulation to avoid being blocked.

2. Performance: Built in Rust, it’s significantly faster than the official Reddit interface and most alternatives.

3. Privacy by Design: Every request is proxied through the server, so Reddit never sees your real IP address.

4. No JavaScript Requirement: Works perfectly with JavaScript disabled, making it ideal for privacy-focused browsers.

5. Active Development: Regular updates and quick issue resolution, unlike some abandoned projects.

6. Resource Efficient: Perfect for self-hosting without requiring significant server resources.

Setup Redlib in Your Homelab

The beauty of Redlib lies in its simple deployment options. Docker is the recommended approach for production environments.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have:

• A server with at least 512MB RAM (Redlib is very lightweight)
• Docker and Docker Compose installed
• A domain or subdomain if you want external access
• Basic understanding of reverse proxy configuration

Quick Setup with Docker

The fastest way to get Redlib running is using Docker:

# Pull and run Redlib
docker pull quay.io/redlib/redlib:latest
docker run -d --name redlib -p 8080:8080 quay.io/redlib/redlib:latest

Redlib will be available at http://localhost:8080. That’s it!

Docker Compose Setup

For a more permanent setup, create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  redlib:
    image: quay.io/redlib/redlib:latest
    container_name: redlib
    restart: unless-stopped
    read_only: true
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    cap_drop:
      - ALL
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    healthcheck:
      test:
        [
          'CMD',
          'wget',
          '--no-verbose',
          '--tries=1',
          '--spider',
          'http://localhost:8080/settings',
        ]
      interval: 1m
      timeout: 3s
      retries: 3

Create a .env file with the following content:

# Redlib configuration
# See the Configuration section of the README for a more detailed explanation of these settings.

# Instance-specific settings
# Enable SFW-only mode for the instance
REDLIB_SFW_ONLY=off
# Set a banner message for the instance
REDLIB_BANNER=
# Disable search engine indexing
REDLIB_ROBOTS_DISABLE_INDEXING=off
# Set the Pushshift frontend for "removed" links
REDLIB_PUSHSHIFT_FRONTEND=undelete.pullpush.io

# Default user settings
# Set the default theme (options: system, light, dark, black, dracula, nord, laserwave, violet, gold, rosebox, gruvboxdark, gruvboxlight)
REDLIB_DEFAULT_THEME=rosebox
# Set the default front page (options: default, popular, all)
REDLIB_DEFAULT_FRONT_PAGE=default
# Set the default layout (options: card, clean, compact)
REDLIB_DEFAULT_LAYOUT=card
# Enable wide mode by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_WIDE=off
# Set the default post sort method (options: hot, new, top, rising, controversial)
REDLIB_DEFAULT_POST_SORT=hot
# Set the default comment sort method (options: confidence, top, new, controversial, old)
REDLIB_DEFAULT_COMMENT_SORT=confidence
# Enable blurring Spoiler content by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_BLUR_SPOILER=off
# Enable showing NSFW content by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_SHOW_NSFW=off
# Enable blurring NSFW content by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_BLUR_NSFW=off
# Enable HLS video format by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_USE_HLS=off
# Hide HLS notification by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_HIDE_HLS_NOTIFICATION=off
# Disable autoplay videos by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_AUTOPLAY_VIDEOS=off
# Define a default list of subreddit subscriptions (format: sub1+sub2+sub3)
REDLIB_DEFAULT_SUBSCRIPTIONS=selfhosted+homelab+minilab
# Define a default list of subreddit filters (format: sub1+sub2+sub3)
REDLIB_DEFAULT_FILTERS=
# Hide awards by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_HIDE_AWARDS=off
# Hide sidebar and summary
REDLIB_DEFAULT_HIDE_SIDEBAR_AND_SUMMARY=off
# Disable the confirmation before visiting Reddit
REDLIB_DEFAULT_DISABLE_VISIT_REDDIT_CONFIRMATION=off
# Hide score by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_HIDE_SCORE=off
# Enable fixed navbar by default
REDLIB_DEFAULT_FIXED_NAVBAR=on

Start the service:

docker compose up -d

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My Setup and Usage

Here’s how I’ve configured Redlib in my homelab environment:

1. Infrastructure: Running on my homelab server in a lightweight Docker container with minimal resource allocation.

2. Reverse Proxy: Using Caddy for automatic SSL certificates and clean URLs:

   reddit.mydomain.com {
       reverse_proxy localhost:8080
   
       header {
           X-Content-Type-Options nosniff
           X-Frame-Options DENY
           Referrer-Policy strict-origin-when-cross-origin
       }
   }

3. Access Control:

   • Internal access via home network for unrestricted browsing
   • External access through Cloudflare Tunnels when needed
   • VPN access via Tailscale for secure remote browsing

4. Configuration:

   • Dark theme enabled by default
   • SFW-only mode disabled (I prefer having control over content filtering)
   • Card layout for better readability
   • Search engine indexing disabled for privacy

5. Backup Strategy: Since Redlib is stateless and doesn’t store user data, backup requirements are minimal - just the Docker Compose configuration and any custom settings.

Features I Love

After using Redlib for several weeks, here are the standout features that have impressed me:

1. Speed: The performance difference compared to official Reddit is night and day. Pages load instantly, even on slower connections.

2. Clean Interface: No distracting ads, promotional content, or algorithmic suggestions - just pure content consumption.

3. Privacy Protection: Knowing that Reddit can’t track my browsing patterns or IP address gives me peace of mind.

4. Mobile-Friendly: The responsive design works excellently on mobile devices without requiring a separate app.

5. RSS Integration: I can subscribe to subreddits via RSS feeds, integrating Reddit content into my existing feed reading workflow.

6. Customization: The ability to set default themes and layouts means the interface always looks exactly how I want it.

Advanced Usage Tips

Custom Styling

While Redlib comes with several built-in themes, you can add custom CSS by mounting a volume:

services:
  redlib:
    image: quay.io/redlib/redlib:latest
    volumes:
      - ./custom.css:/app/static/css/custom.css:ro

Integration with RSS Readers

Redlib supports RSS feeds for any subreddit by appending .rss to the URL:

• https://your-redlib-instance.com/r/selfhosted.rss
• https://your-redlib-instance.com/r/homelab.rss

This makes it easy to integrate Reddit content into your existing RSS workflow.

Public Instances vs Self-Hosting

While there are public Redlib instances available and can be found here ↗️, I strongly recommend self-hosting for several reasons:

1. Control: You control the configuration, uptime, and availability
2. Privacy: No dependency on third-party instance operators
3. Performance: Dedicated resources mean better performance
4. Reliability: No risk of public instances going down or becoming overloaded
5. Customization: Full control over themes, settings, and features

Limitations and Considerations

While Redlib is excellent, there are some limitations to be aware of:

1. Read-Only: You can’t post, comment, or vote (by design for privacy)
2. No User Accounts: No ability to access your Reddit account or saved posts
3. Limited Search: Search functionality is basic compared to Reddit’s native search
4. No Push Notifications: No real-time notifications for new content

These limitations are intentional design choices that prioritize privacy and simplicity over feature completeness.

Conclusion

Redlib has become my go-to method for consuming Reddit content. The combination of blazing-fast performance, rock-solid privacy protection, and clean interface makes it a compelling choice for anyone who wants to browse Reddit without the bloat and tracking.

The fact that it actually works reliably (unlike many Reddit frontend alternatives) while being lightweight enough for any homelab setup makes it an essential addition to my self-hosted stack.

Have you tried Redlib or other privacy-focused Reddit frontends? What’s your approach to browsing social media while maintaining privacy? Share your experiences in the comments below, or reach out to me on Twitter ↗️ / Reddit ↗️.

Happy privacy-focused browsing!