PodRadar

PodRadar is a self-hosted, multi-user podcast discovery engine. It replaces opodsync as your GPodder-compatible sync server while adding a Tinder-style swipe mechanic that learns your taste and surfaces new shows worth trying. Rate episodes, swipe on recommendations, and let the taste engine do the rest — all without leaving AntennaPod. The Svelte 5 frontend runs in the browser; AntennaPod talks to the same backend over the standard GPodder API.

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Requirements

• Docker and Docker Compose
• (Optional) PodcastIndex API key + secret — improves search and metadata
• (Optional) OpenRouter API key — enables AI features (episode summaries, swipe recommendations)

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Quick Start

git clone https://git.midasvo.nl/midas/podradar.git
cd podradar
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env and fill in values (see table below)
docker compose up -d

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

The first user to register is automatically granted admin access and approved. Subsequent registrations follow the PODRADAR_REGISTRATION_MODE setting.

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Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Description
PODRADAR_DB_PASSWORD	Required	Password for the PostgreSQL database
OPENROUTER_API_KEY	Optional	Enables AI features via OpenRouter (episode summaries, swipe recommendations). Leave blank to disable.
PODCASTINDEX_API_KEY	Optional	PodcastIndex API key for improved podcast search and metadata
PODCASTINDEX_API_SECRET	Optional	PodcastIndex API secret (required alongside the key)
PODRADAR_REGISTRATION_MODE	Optional	Controls who can register. Default: APPROVAL_REQUIRED. Options: OPEN, APPROVAL_REQUIRED, INVITE_ONLY, CLOSED

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AntennaPod Setup

To use PodRadar as your sync server in AntennaPod:

1. Open AntennaPod and go to Settings → Synchronization
2. Select gpodder.net compatible
3. Set the server to your PodRadar URL:
   • Local: http://localhost:8080
   • Remote: https://your-domain.com
4. Enter your PodRadar username and password

AntennaPod will sync subscriptions and episode playback positions to PodRadar automatically.

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Architecture

Layer	Technology
Backend	Kotlin / Spring Boot (Maven)
Frontend	Svelte 5 SPA (static assets)
Database	PostgreSQL
Reverse proxy	nginx (inside Docker)

The backend exposes the GPodder Sync API for AntennaPod compatibility alongside a REST API consumed by the frontend. Liquibase manages database migrations. In production everything runs as Docker containers behind the nginx proxy.

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Development

Backend

Runs against H2 in-memory database by default (no PostgreSQL needed).

cd podradar-backend
mvn spring-boot:run

The backend starts on http://localhost:8080.

Frontend

Proxies /api requests to the backend on localhost:8080.

cd podradar-frontend
npm install
npm run dev

The dev server starts on http://localhost:5173.

Tests

cd podradar-backend
mvn test

Tests run against H2 with PostgreSQL compatibility mode. No external services required.