https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery
Your Self-Hosted Knowledge Base
https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery
alternative docker evernote fastapi free hosted knowledge-base markdown note note-taking notion obsidian onenote open-source privacy python second-brain self-hosted zettelkasten
Last synced: 1 day ago
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Your Self-Hosted Knowledge Base
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery
- Owner: gamosoft
- License: mit
- Created: 2025-11-05T12:54:29.000Z (3 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-02-09T17:17:32.000Z (2 days ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-02-09T20:55:59.234Z (2 days ago)
- Topics: alternative, docker, evernote, fastapi, free, hosted, knowledge-base, markdown, note, note-taking, notion, obsidian, onenote, open-source, privacy, python, second-brain, self-hosted, zettelkasten
- Language: JavaScript
- Homepage: https://www.notediscovery.com
- Size: 4.48 MB
- Stars: 2,197
- Watchers: 10
- Forks: 184
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
- License: LICENSE
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README
# 📝 NoteDiscovery
> Your Self-Hosted Knowledge Base
## What is NoteDiscovery?
NoteDiscovery is a **lightweight, self-hosted note-taking application** that puts you in complete control of your knowledge base. Write, organize, and discover your notes with a beautiful, modern interface—all running on your own server.
## 🎯 Who is it for?
- **Privacy-conscious users** who want complete control over their data
- **Developers** who prefer markdown and local file storage
- **Knowledge workers** building a personal wiki or second brain
- **Teams** looking for a self-hosted alternative to commercial apps
- **Anyone** who values simplicity, speed, and ownership
---
---
## ✨ Why NoteDiscovery?
### vs. Commercial Apps (Notion, Evernote, Obsidian Sync)
| Feature | NoteDiscovery | Commercial Apps |
|---------|---------------|-----------------|
| **Cost** | 100% Free | $xxx/month/year |
| **Privacy** | Your server, your data | Their servers, their terms |
| **Speed** | Lightning fast | Depends on internet |
| **Offline** | Always works | Limited or requires sync |
| **Customization** | Full control | Limited options |
| **No Lock-in** | Plain markdown files | Proprietary formats |
### Key Benefits
- 🔒 **Total Privacy** - Your notes never leave your server
- 🔐 **Optional Authentication** - Simple password protection for self-hosted deployments
- 💰 **Zero Cost** - No subscriptions, no hidden fees
- 🚀 **Fast & Lightweight** - Instant search and navigation
- 🎨 **Beautiful Themes** - Multiple themes, easy to customize
- 🔌 **Extensible** - Plugin system for custom features
- 📱 **Responsive** - Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
- 📂 **Simple Storage** - Plain markdown files in folders
- 🧮 **Math Support** - LaTeX/MathJax for beautiful equations
- 📄 **HTML Export** - Share notes as standalone HTML files
- 🕸️ **Graph View** - Interactive visualization of connected notes
- ⭐ **Favorites** - Star your most-used notes for instant access
- 📑 **Outline Panel** - Navigate headings with click-to-jump TOC
## 🚀 Quick Start
### Quick Setup
**Linux/macOS:**
```bash
mkdir -p notediscovery/data && cd notediscovery
docker run -d --name notediscovery -p 8000:8000 \
-v $(pwd)/data:/app/data \
ghcr.io/gamosoft/notediscovery:latest
```
**Windows (PowerShell):**
```powershell
mkdir notediscovery\data; cd notediscovery
docker run -d --name notediscovery -p 8000:8000 `
-v ${PWD}/data:/app/data `
ghcr.io/gamosoft/notediscovery:latest
```
Open **http://localhost:8000** — done! 🎉
> 💡 Your notes are saved in `./data/`. Themes, plugins, locales and default configuration values are included in the image.
### Using Docker Compose
Two docker-compose files are provided:
| File | Use Case |
|------|----------|
| `docker-compose.ghcr.yml` | **Recommended** - Uses pre-built image from GitHub Container Registry |
| `docker-compose.yml` | For development - Builds from local source |
**Option 1: Pre-built image (fastest)**
Linux/macOS:
```bash
mkdir -p notediscovery/data && cd notediscovery
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gamosoft/notediscovery/main/docker-compose.ghcr.yml
docker-compose -f docker-compose.ghcr.yml up -d
```
Windows (PowerShell):
```powershell
mkdir notediscovery\data; cd notediscovery
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gamosoft/notediscovery/main/docker-compose.ghcr.yml -OutFile docker-compose.ghcr.yml
docker-compose -f docker-compose.ghcr.yml up -d
```
**Option 2: Build from source (for development)**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery.git
cd notediscovery
docker-compose up -d
```
See [Advanced Docker Setup](#advanced-docker-setup) for volume details.
### Running Locally (Without Docker)
For development or if you prefer running directly:
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery.git
cd notediscovery
# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Run the application
python run.py
# Access at http://localhost:8000
```
**Requirements:**
- Python 3.8 or higher
- pip (Python package manager)
#### Using Virtual Environments (Recommended for Arch/Fedora/Ubuntu 23.04+)
Modern Linux distributions enforce [PEP 668](https://peps.python.org/pep-0668/), which prevents system-wide pip installs. Use a virtual environment instead:
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery.git
cd notediscovery
# Create a virtual environment
python -m venv venv
# Activate it (choose your shell):
source venv/bin/activate # Bash/Zsh (most Linux distros)
source venv/bin/activate.fish # Fish (CachyOS, etc.)
source venv/bin/activate.csh # Csh/Tcsh
.\venv\Scripts\activate # Windows PowerShell
# Install dependencies and run
pip install -r requirements.txt
python run.py
```
> ⚠️ **Warning**
>
> *You'll need to activate the virtual environment (source venv/bin/activate) each time you open a new terminal before running the app*
### Advanced Docker Setup
The image includes bundled config, themes, plugins, and locales. To customize, you must:
1. **Map the volume** in your docker-compose or docker run command
2. **Provide content** - the file/folder must exist with valid content (empty = app might break!)
| Volume | Purpose | Bundled? |
|--------|---------|----------|
| `data/` | Your notes | ❌ You must create |
| `config.yaml` | App settings | ✅ Yes |
| `themes/` | Custom themes | ✅ Yes |
| `plugins/` | Custom plugins | ✅ Yes |
| `locales/` | Translations | ✅ Yes |
### Dashboard Integration
An official icon for NoteDiscovery is now available on [Dashboard Icons](https://dashboardicons.com/icons/notediscovery)!
Use it in your self-hosted dashboards like Homepage, Homarr, Dashy, Heimdall, etc...
## 📚 Documentation
Want to learn more?
- 🎨 **[THEMES.md](documentation/THEMES.md)** - Theme customization and creating custom themes
- ✨ **[FEATURES.md](documentation/FEATURES.md)** - Complete feature list and keyboard shortcuts
- 🏷️ **[TAGS.md](documentation/TAGS.md)** - Organize notes with tags and combined filtering
- 📋 **[TEMPLATES.md](documentation/TEMPLATES.md)** - Create notes from reusable templates with dynamic placeholders
- 🧮 **[MATHJAX.md](documentation/MATHJAX.md)** - LaTeX/Math notation examples and syntax reference
- 📊 **[MERMAID.md](documentation/MERMAID.md)** - Diagram creation with Mermaid (flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and more)
- 🔌 **[PLUGINS.md](documentation/PLUGINS.md)** - Plugin system and available plugins
- 🌐 **[API.md](documentation/API.md)** - REST API documentation and examples
- 🔐 **[AUTHENTICATION.md](documentation/AUTHENTICATION.md)** - Enable password protection for your instance
- 🔧 **[ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLES.md](documentation/ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLES.md)** - Configure settings via environment variables
## 🌍 Multiple Languages
NoteDiscovery supports multiple languages! Currently available:
- 🇺🇸 English (en-US) - Default
- 🇪🇸 Español (es-ES)
- 🇩🇪 Deutsch (de-DE)
- 🇫🇷 Français (fr-FR)
**To change language:** Go to Settings (gear icon) → Language dropdown.
**To add your own language:** See the [Contributing Guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md#-contributing-translations) for instructions on creating translation files.
**Docker users:** Mount your custom locales folder to add or override translations:
```yaml
volumes:
- ./locales:/app/locales # Custom translations
```
💡 **Pro Tip:** If you clone this repository, you can mount the `documentation/` folder to view these docs inside the app:
```yaml
# In your docker-compose.yml
volumes:
- ./data:/app/data # Your personal notes
- ./documentation:/app/data/docs:ro # Mount docs subfolder inside the data folder (read-only)
```
Then access them at `http://localhost:8000` - the docs will appear as a `docs/` folder in the file browser!
## 🤝 Contributing
**Before submitting a pull request**, especially for major changes, please:
- Read our **[Contributing Guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md)**
- Open an issue first to discuss major features or significant changes
- Ensure your code follows the project's style and philosophy
## 🔒 Security Considerations
NoteDiscovery is designed for **self-hosted, private use**. Please keep these security considerations in mind:
### Network Security
- ⚠️ **Do NOT expose directly to the internet** without additional security measures
- Run behind a reverse proxy (nginx, Caddy) with HTTPS for production use
- Keep it on your local network or use a VPN for remote access
- By default, the app listens on `0.0.0.0:8000` (all network interfaces)
### Authentication
- **Password protection is DISABLED by default** (default password: `admin`)
- ⚠️ **ENABLE AUTHENTICATION AND CHANGE THE DEFAULT PASSWORD** if exposing to a network!
- See **[AUTHENTICATION.md](documentation/AUTHENTICATION.md)** for complete setup instructions
- To disable auth, set `authentication.enabled: false` in `config.yaml`
- Change password with Docker: `docker-compose exec notediscovery python generate_password.py`
- Perfect for single-user or small team deployments
- For multi-user setups, consider a reverse proxy with OAuth/SSO
### Data Privacy
- Your notes are stored as **plain text markdown files** in the `data/` folder
- No data is sent to external services
- Regular backups are recommended
### Best Practices
- Run on `localhost` or a private network only
- Use Docker for isolation and easier security management
- Keep your system and dependencies updated
- Review and audit any plugins you install
- Set appropriate file permissions on the `data/` directory
**TL;DR**: Perfect for personal use on your local machine or home network. Enable built-in password protection if needed, or use a reverse proxy with authentication if exposing to wider networks.
## 📄 License
MIT License - Free to use, modify, and distribute.
---
Made with ❤️ for the self-hosting community