Getting Started

EPUBcheck is the open source tool for validating digital publications in EPUB format.

Most of the digital publishing supply chain relies on this tool to ensure that digital publications are ready to be distributed and enjoyed on most reading solutions.

§ What it does (and what it doesn't) EPUBcheck

If you want to publish an EPUB file, this is the right tool to check its compliancy to the technical specifications.

The tool is able to detect many types of errors that may be present in an EPUB file. It checks:

• the structure of the container
• packaging
• metadata
• content tagging
• consistency of internal references

EPUBcheck can validate the technical aspects of the file, but not its content: typos, wrong images, misspellings – the nightmares of every content creator – are not the competence of this tool.

§ How to use EPUBcheck

EPUBcheck is a command line interface tool (CLI: Terminal or Command Prompt), to try it follow the installation guide. If you are not such a nerd and prefer a graphical interface suitable for the millennium we live in, there are several tools that offer a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to EPUBcheck.

EPUBcheck can be used both in stand-alone mode or integrated into more complex workflows, for example using it as a Java library.

§ Understand the output of EPUBcheck

Sometimes EPUBcheck messages can be a bit cryptic, that's why we made the messages guide with the explanation of the meanings.

If you still have doubts on difficult to understand messages you can ask for help through the available channels.

§ Get help on EPUBcheck

If you have problems using EPUBcheck or understanding its messages, you can get help through the available channels.