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syncreading progresspdfmulti-devicesync PDF reading progresscross device study app

Cross-Device Reading Progress and Last-Read Sync

Shelf saves PDF page, scroll, and zoom to your account so phone, tablet, and laptop pick up the same document where you stopped.

12 min read
Reading progress
PDF page42 / 128

Synced across devices

What syncs to your account

When signed in, PATCH /api/my-content/pages/:id/progress stores view state: PDF page number, scroll offset, scale, and timestamp. GET /last-read returns the latest documents per collection for cross-device resume.

Reading progress
PDF page42 / 128

Synced across devices

Local-first, merge smart

Shelf hydrates from localStorage and IndexedDB first — reopening a PDF on the same browser stays instant. Account sync revalidates in the background and merges without clobbering newer local sessions when you were offline.

fundamental-rights.pdf

Article 14 — equality before law

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Continue reading on dashboard

Dashboard and library home use last-read metadata to offer Continue reading — one click returns to the collection and page you touched most recently.

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Sync model

Signed-in reading position, highlights, and planner state sync through the API — open laptop after phone session and resume the same PDF page.

Local IndexedDB caches PDF bytes for fast reopen; sync handles metadata and progress separately.

Reading progress
PDF page42 / 128

Synced across devices

Conflict behavior

Last-write-wins for page index on simple reopen — rare conflicts when two devices edit simultaneously resolve to the most recent save.

Highlights merge by position; duplicate marks from two devices may need manual cleanup in edge cases.

fundamental-rights.pdf

Article 14 — equality before law

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Offline and PWA

Cached PDFs open offline; progress queues until reconnect. Install Shelf as PWA on phone and desktop for consistent app shells.

Shelf — Library
Polity notes
Current affairs
Essay drafts

Account safety

JWT in localStorage — sign out on shared devices. Progress is per account, not per browser fingerprint.

Reading progress
PDF page42 / 128

Synced across devices

Multi-device workflows

Commute on phone: read and highlight. Desk on laptop: split view, Study AI, essay doc. Tablet: sketch maps. Same library, same streak.

fundamental-rights.pdf

Article 14 — equality before law

Highlight · Pen · Schedule

Troubleshooting

If progress stalls, check network and token expiry — re-login refreshes session. Force refresh reader if a tab slept for days.

Shelf — Library
Polity notes
Current affairs
Essay drafts