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Guide · Open source

How to use wallabag: install, save articles and read them later

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

wallabag is a web application for saving web pages to read later. You click to save an article, and it extracts the main content so pop-ups and other distractions are removed. This guide explains what wallabag is good for, how to install it from the project's README, and how to start saving and reading articles.

wallabagwallabag/wallabag · ★ 13k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Check the requirements. Read the requirements page in the wallabag documentation and confirm you have a web server to run it on.
  2. 2Clone the repository. Run git clone https://github.com/wallabag/wallabag.git to download the source code.
  3. 3Run the install. From the wallabag folder, run cd wallabag && make install. Use gmake install if your default make is not GNU make.
  4. 4Configure a virtual host. Follow the virtual host guide in the documentation so your web server serves wallabag.
  5. 5Save an article. Click to save a web page. wallabag extracts the main content so you can read it without pop-ups.
  6. 6Read it later. Open your saved articles and read them when you have time.

What wallabag does and who it suits

wallabag lets you save web pages for later reading. Its content extraction removes pop-ups and other distractions from the article you saved. You can run it on your own server, or create an account on the hosted service at wallabag.it instead.

  • People who want a read-later app they control on their own server
  • People who want an alternative to hosted read-it-later services
  • Developers who want to self-host a PHP/Symfony application
  • Anyone who wants distraction-free reading of saved articles

Check the requirements before you install

Installing wallabag means running it on a web server, so you need one. The README does not list specific prerequisites and refers you to the requirements page in the documentation at doc.wallabag.org.

If you do not want to run or maintain a server, the README points to the hosted option at wallabag.it instead.

Install wallabag from the project folder

Clone the repository, then run the install target from inside the project folder. The README gives these commands.

If your system's default make is not GNU make, use gmake install instead.

After installation, configure a virtual host so your web server serves wallabag. The README links to the virtual host guide in the documentation. Other installation methods are described in the installation documentation.

git clone https://github.com/wallabag/wallabag.git cd wallabag && make install

Save and classify articles

The core workflow is to click to save an article. wallabag then extracts the content so you can read it without distractions. The README describes the app as letting you save and classify articles, and read them later.

Content extraction relies on Graby, php-readability and ftr-site-config, which are linked from the project README.

  • Save a web page with the save action in your wallabag instance
  • Read saved articles later in a distraction-free view
  • Use the browser extension, Android app or iOS app listed in the README to save from other devices

Explore the documentation and ecosystem

Full documentation lives at doc.wallabag.org, and the source files are in the doc/ directory of the repository. The project wiki lists resources about the wallabag ecosystem.

Translations are handled through Weblate, and contributors can read the contribution guide in the repository.

  • Documentation: https://doc.wallabag.org
  • Website: https://wallabag.org
  • Browser extension: wallabag/wallabagger
  • Android app: wallabag/android-app
  • iOS app: wallabag/ios-app

What people use it for

  • Saving long articles from the web to read later without pop-ups
  • Keeping a self-hosted archive of saved pages on your own server
  • Using a self-hosted alternative to hosted read-it-later services
  • Developing or contributing to a PHP/Symfony application

Frequently asked questions

Is wallabag free?

wallabag is released under the MIT License, which the README describes as free software you can redistribute and modify. The README also mentions a hosted option at wallabag.it, but it does not state its pricing.

What do I need to install wallabag?

You need a web server, and the README directs you to the requirements page in the documentation for the full list. Installation is done by cloning the repository and running make install from the project folder.

What is the install command for wallabag?

Run git clone https://github.com/wallabag/wallabag.git, then cd wallabag && make install. If your default make is not GNU make, use gmake install instead.

Can I use wallabag without running a server?

Yes, the README says you can create an account on wallabag.it instead of installing it yourself. Self-hosting requires a server and following the documentation.

What are alternatives to wallabag?

Comparable projects listed for this directory include Linkwarden, Readeck and Omnivore. Choose based on whether you want to self-host and which features you need.

Does wallabag remove ads from articles?

wallabag extracts the main content of a saved page so that pop-ups and other distractions are removed, according to the project README. It does not claim to block all content on every site.

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Our verdict

wallabag suits people who want a self-hosted read-later app and are comfortable installing it on a web server with the documentation. If you want a ready-made app with no setup and no server, use the hosted wallabag.it service or look at a different tool.

Install options & downloads