Knowledge library

Preserve knowledge before you need it.

A curated directory of what's worth keeping and where to find it. RTW helps you store and share these resources — it doesn't bundle or redistribute them.

Supported formats
File types the RTW server can show today.
Downloadable with rtw fetch
Sources marked with a command are downloaded onto your device from the original publisher.
Online references
Everything else is a link to browse online. Nothing third-party is bundled with RTW.

Supported formats

  • ZIMWikipedia section (Kiwix)
  • PDFBooks or Downloads
  • EPUBBooks
  • PMTilesMaps
  • HTMLSites
  • Markdown / TXTNotes
  • APKDownloads

Categories

01

Water & Sanitation

Finding, treating and storing safe water, and keeping communities healthy through sanitation.

Useful content

  • Water purification methods
  • Well and cistern construction
  • Latrine design
  • Hygiene education material

Resource types

  • PDF
  • ZIM
  • HTML

Recommended sources

  • AppropediaOpen wiki on appropriate technology and sustainability.
  • Hesperian Health GuidesCommunity health books, including water and sanitation guides. Check each title's terms.
02

Food & Agriculture

Growing, preserving and storing food, from small gardens to community-scale farming.

Useful content

  • Crop and soil guides
  • Food preservation
  • Irrigation basics
  • Livestock care

Resource types

  • PDF
  • EPUB
  • ZIM

Recommended sources

03

Medicine & Healthcare

Reference health information for learning and preparedness. Not a substitute for professional care.

Useful content

  • First-aid references
  • Community health worker manuals
  • Medical encyclopedia articles
  • Maternal and child health guides

Resource types

  • ZIM
  • PDF

Recommended sources

04

Engineering & Mechanics

How machines work and how to build, maintain and repair them.

Useful content

  • Repair guides
  • Simple machines
  • Workshop practice
  • Historical trade manuals

Resource types

  • ZIM
  • PDF
  • HTML

Recommended sources

05

Energy & Electricity

Generating, storing and using power safely — from solar panels to basic wiring.

Useful content

  • Small solar systems
  • Battery care
  • Basic electrical safety
  • Micro-hydro and wind

Resource types

  • PDF
  • ZIM
  • HTML

Recommended sources

  • AppropediaRenewable energy projects and how-tos.
  • Kiwix LibraryWikipedia and Wikibooks articles on electricity and energy systems.
06

Construction & Materials

Shelter, building techniques and working with local materials.

Useful content

  • Earthen and masonry building
  • Basic structural concepts
  • Roofing
  • Tool use

Resource types

  • PDF
  • EPUB
  • ZIM

Recommended sources

07

Science & Mathematics

The fundamentals that everything else rests on.

Useful content

  • Textbooks from school to university level
  • Physics and chemistry references
  • Math courses
  • Interactive simulations

Resource types

  • PDF
  • ZIM
  • HTML

Recommended sources

08

Communication & Electronics

Electronics, radio and keeping people in touch when networks are down.

Useful content

  • Electronics fundamentals
  • Radio communication basics
  • Q&A archives
  • Component references

Resource types

  • ZIM
  • PDF
  • APK

Recommended sources

  • Kiwix LibraryIncludes offline archives of Stack Exchange sites such as Electrical Engineering.
  • WikibooksOpen textbooks on electronics and more; offline via Kiwix.
  • BitchatChat with nearby phones over Bluetooth mesh, no network needed (GPL-3.0). rtw fetch bitchat adds it to Downloads.rtw fetch bitchat
09

Maps & Geography

Offline maps for finding your way, planning and understanding a region.

Useful content

  • Vector maps for a country or region
  • Turn-by-turn navigation maps
  • Travel guides
  • Geography references

Resource types

  • PMTiles
  • APK
  • ZIM

Recommended sources

  • ProtomapsOpenStreetMap-based PMTiles — RTW extracts a region from their builds.rtw fetch maps
  • OpenStreetMapThe open map data behind most offline maps (ODbL).
  • OsmAndOffline navigation app with downloadable map files. rtw fetch osmand adds it to Downloads.rtw fetch osmand
10

General Knowledge

Encyclopedias, dictionaries and the long tail of everything else.

Useful content

  • Wikipedia in many languages
  • Dictionaries
  • Travel guides
  • Quotations and reference works

Resource types

  • ZIM
  • EPUB

Recommended sources

  • Kiwix LibraryWikipedia, Wiktionary, Wikivoyage and more, in many languages and sizes.
  • Project GutenbergOver 75,000 free eBooks, mostly public domain in the US (check your country).
11

Education & Learning

Structured courses and teaching material for classrooms and self-learners.

Useful content

  • Textbooks
  • Video lessons
  • Exercises
  • Teacher guides

Resource types

  • PDF
  • ZIM
  • HTML

Recommended sources

12

Community & Infrastructure

Organizing, governing and maintaining the shared systems communities depend on.

Useful content

  • Local notes and procedures
  • Contact lists and schedules
  • Maintenance logs
  • Locally written guides

Resource types

  • Markdown / TXT
  • HTML
  • PDF

Recommended sources

13

Islamic Studies

The Qur'an, Forty Nawawi and the six major Hadith collections, linked to original publishers or specialized reference collections.

Useful content

  • Madinah Mushaf — Hafs
  • Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi
  • The six major Hadith collections

Resource types

  • PDF
  • HTML

Recommended sources

Available

Knowledge packs

Run rtw fetch to pick packs by category and install them in one step. Nothing is installed unless you choose it; the Qur'an and Forty Nawawi are suggested as a recommended pack. Downloads come straight from each publisher, resume if interrupted, and are checked before they appear in Books. References that may not be copied, such as the six Hadith collections on Sunnah.com, stay links.

Know a resource that belongs here? Suggest it. Health and safety material is listed for reference and education; it hasn't been reviewed by professionals for RTW and doesn't replace qualified advice or emergency services.