Version 0.7.8: GPodder Sync Overhaul, Duration Detection, Description Timestamps

I'm excited to announce PinePods 0.7.8, a major update with core backend improvements, UI polish, and long-awaited quality-of-life features. Most notably, this release includes a full rebuild of the GPodder sync system, a new backend setting to control YouTube episode retention, and smarter episode duration handling for a smoother playback experience.

🔄 GPodder Sync Reimagined

• Full GPodder Sync Rebuild – The entire GPodder sync process has been rebuilt from scratch. You now get device management, manual sync options, and session-based authentication working cleanly.
• Built-in GPodder API Server – No more separate GPodder server needed! PinePods can act as its own GPodder sync server. Just enable it from the podcast sync area in settings and connect apps (like AntennaPod) directly to PinePods. This server is built in Golang for speed and reliability. It can handle thousands of podcasts and will automatically use the Pinepods database you configure from the start.
  Example: Use https://my-pinepods-server.com and your PinePods credentials for user and password when connecting via external apps.

Documentation around gpodder and how the different options work can be found here

🛠️ Backend & Core Features

• Description Timestamps – Podcasts with timestamps in their descriptions will now appear as links. As long as that episode is playing you'll be able to jump between the times.
• YouTube Feed Retention Settings – You can now control how many days of YouTube podcast episodes are retained. Defaults to 30. Accessible per channel in the YouTube settings panel.
• Improved Image Caching – Episode and podcast images now load faster and persist better when scrolling, with smarter caching logic.
• Accurate MP3 Duration Detection – Episode durations are now parsed before playback, even if the feed doesn’t specify them—no more 0-minute placeholders.
• Refresh Status Display – Refreshing podcasts using the refresh button on home now shows a proper status in the Notification Center, giving you better insight into background tasks.
• YouTube Episode Count Fix – Adding a new YouTube channel now correctly increments the podcast's episode count.

🧹 Bug Fixes & Enhancements

• Episode Queue Removal Fixed – Episodes can now reliably be removed from the queue without issues.
• Chapters Modal UX – Tapping outside the chapters modal now properly dismisses it.
• Play Button Spacing Fix – The play button on the shared episodes page now has proper spacing across devices.
• Episode Count Bubbles – The podcast grid now shows a small badge with the number of available episodes for each podcast.
• Improved Podcast Deletion – Deleting podcasts no longer shows a false error message. The operation now runs cleanly on all databases.

📱 Android & UI Improvements

• Mobile UI Scaling – Layouts and touch targets have been adjusted for better usability on phones and smaller screens.
• Visual Polish – Numerous subtle interface tweaks and consistency fixes throughout the app.

📄 Documentation & Community

• Helm Repo URL Fixed – The Helm chart link in the README has been corrected for easier installation.
• Special thanks to @bbirney – For their excellent work helping implement backend support for YouTube episode feed cutoff, which is now a fully supported and configurable feature in PinePods.

As always, thank you for using PinePods! Your feedback and support are what drive this project forward. If you encounter any new issues or have feature suggestions, don’t hesitate to open an issue or drop a note.

Enjoy the update and happy listening 🎧🚀

NOTE: Don't pull this update yet as the docker image is currently building