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Document Format

FB2

FictionBook 2

FB2 (FictionBook 2) is an XML-based e-book format that originated in the Russian e-book community. Unlike EPUB (which is a ZIP archive), FB2 is a single XML file containing the entire book — text, formatting, metadata, and embedded images all in one structured document. The format remains popular in Eastern European and Russian-language e-book communities.

What is FB2?

FB2 files are pure XML with a strict schema defined by the FictionBook DTD. The structure includes a <description> section (book metadata: title, author, genre, language, ISBN), a <body> section (the book text divided into sections, paragraphs, and styled spans), and an optional <binary> section (embedded images encoded as Base64). Because everything is text-based XML, FB2 files are easy to edit in any text editor.

FB2 pros and cons

Advantages

  • Single-file format — no archive structure to corrupt
  • Pure XML — easy to parse, edit, and process programmatically
  • Rich metadata schema (genre tags, translator info, publication details)
  • Free and open standard
  • Strong support among Russian e-readers and apps

Limitations

  • Limited support outside Russian-speaking markets
  • No native CSS-style formatting flexibility (uses semantic tags only)
  • Embedded images bloat the single XML file
  • Less common on commercial e-book stores
  • Some readers strip rich metadata when converting

When should you convert FB2 files?

Convert FB2 to EPUB for universal e-reader support — every Kobo, Nook, and reading app supports EPUB. Convert FB2 to MOBI/AZW3 for Kindle reading. The conversion preserves all metadata and structure cleanly because both formats use semantic markup.

Convert FB2 files

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All FormatDrop conversions run entirely in your browser — no file upload, no server processing. Your files stay on your device.

FB2 FAQ

What apps read FB2 files?
Calibre (cross-platform desktop), CoolReader (Android, Linux, Windows), FBReader (cross-platform), Moon+ Reader (Android), KyBook (iOS). Most Russian-region e-readers (PocketBook, ONYX) read FB2 natively.
How do I convert FB2 to EPUB?
Use Calibre: add the FB2 file, click Convert books, select EPUB as output format. Or command line with ebook-convert: `ebook-convert input.fb2 output.epub`. The conversion is high-fidelity because both formats use similar semantic structures.
What's the difference between FB2 and FB2.zip?
FB2 is a plain XML file. FB2.zip is the same XML compressed with ZIP — same content, smaller file. Most FB2 readers handle both transparently. The .fb2.zip extension is common for distribution because the compression ratio for text-heavy XML is excellent (often 3–5×).

More formats

HEICWebPAVIFEPUBWebMOpusMP3WAVM4AFLACAACMP4AVIMKVMOVJPGPNGGIFSVGTIFFICOBMPEPSARWOGGWMVPPTXPagesPDFDOCXRAWHEVCH.264AIFFM4VWMA3GPDNGRTFPSDOGVTSFLVAIXLSXCSVZIPAPNGMIDIJPEG XLMPG/MPEGVOBM2TSAC3ALACDTSJP2HEIFAPECBZ3G2SRTDOCPPTXLSODTODSM3URAR7ZM4BAMRTXTMOBITARGZJSONXMLYAMLKEYMTSCR2NEFMXFTGACAFASSVTTDSFRMF4VWVASFRMVBORFRW2EAC-3TTAISODMGXZDjVuAUM4RAZW3MKAEXRVCFICSAAXPRCMP2SPXXSPFM3U8