https://github.com/mrsibe/knownote
A local-first AI knowledge base & NotebookLM alternative built with Electron. More convenient, more lightweight, and understands you better!
https://github.com/mrsibe/knownote
ai deep-learning deepseek dl electron notebook notebooklm openai
Last synced: 3 months ago
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A local-first AI knowledge base & NotebookLM alternative built with Electron. More convenient, more lightweight, and understands you better!
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/mrsibe/knownote
- Owner: MrSibe
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2025-12-15T11:56:42.000Z (5 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-01-04T03:55:28.000Z (4 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-01-13T22:59:53.030Z (4 months ago)
- Topics: ai, deep-learning, deepseek, dl, electron, notebook, notebooklm, openai
- Language: TypeScript
- Homepage:
- Size: 2.61 MB
- Stars: 749
- Watchers: 11
- Forks: 109
- Open Issues: 7
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# KnowNote
> A local-first, open-source alternative to Google NotebookLM
> Built for learners and developers who want private LLMs, no Docker, and full control.
**Transform your documents into an intelligent, conversational knowledge base**
[](https://github.com/MrSibe/KnowNote/releases)
[](https://github.com/MrSibe/KnowNote/stargazers)
[](https://github.com/MrSibe/KnowNote/blob/main/LICENSE)
[](https://github.com/MrSibe/KnowNote/issues)
[English](README.md) | [简体中文](README_CN.md)
---
## Why KnowNote?
I really like the idea behind **Google NotebookLM**:
upload documents, build context, and reason over them with LLMs.
But I wanted a few things it doesn’t give me:
- Using my own **private or self-managed LLM APIs**
- Keeping **all data local**, without cloud lock-in
- Trying the tool **without Docker or complex deployment**
While exploring GitHub, I found many impressive “Open Notebook” projects.
They are powerful and well-designed — but almost all of them rely on Docker.
For beginners and non-backend users, that alone can be a deal-breaker.
So I built **KnowNote**:
a simple Electron-based desktop app that brings NotebookLM-style workflows
to a **local-first, Docker-free environment**.
This is my **first open-source project**.
It’s still early, but the core idea works — and I’m excited to share it and learn from the community.
---
## What KnowNote does (so far)
- 📚 Build a local knowledge base from documents and notes
- 💬 Chat, summarize, and reason with your content using LLMs
- 🔌 Provider-based LLM design (OpenAI, DeepSeek, Ollama, and more)
- 🔍 RAG-powered retrieval with precise source traceability
- 🖥️ Desktop app built with Electron — no Docker, no server setup
---
## Who is this for?
KnowNote is for you if:
- You like NotebookLM but want more control
- You prefer using private or self-hosted LLM APIs
- You don’t want to spin up Docker just to try an idea
- You want a simple desktop app for learning and research
---
## Preview
Three-column layout: Knowledge Library · AI Q&A · Note Output
---
## Key Features
### 📚 Document Management
- PDF, Word (.docx), PowerPoint (.pptx), and web pages
- Automatic structure parsing and content extraction
- Fast local storage with SQLite
### 🤖 AI-Powered Q&A
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
- Multiple LLM providers
- Answers with precise source references
### 🔒 Local-First by Design
- All data stored locally
- Offline-friendly (LLM APIs optional)
- Full control over your knowledge assets
### 🔍 Vector Search
- Semantic search with sqlite-vec
- Fast and accurate retrieval
### ⚡ Lightweight & Cross-Platform
- Electron-based desktop app
- Windows and macOS support
---
## Project Status
KnowNote is an early-stage project.
Some parts are still rough, but the foundation is in place.
I’m sharing it mainly to:
- learn from real usage
- improve learning and research workflows
- explore better knowledge visualization and retrieval
Feedback and suggestions are very welcome.
---
## Roadmap
### ✅ Completed
- AI LLM conversation with multiple providers
- Structured note generation
- One-click mind map generation
- RAG-based document retrieval
- Multi-format document import (PDF / Word / PPT / Web)
### 🚧 In Development
- Audio upload and transcription
- Quiz generation from documents
- One-click PPT generation from notes
### 📋 Planned
More ideas are in the pipeline — feel free to suggest features in Issues.
---
## Quick Start
### Download
Get the latest version from GitHub Releases:
- **Windows**: `KnowNote-Setup-{version}.exe`
- **macOS**: `KnowNote-{version}.dmg` / `KnowNote-{version}-arm64.dmg`
### Development
```bash
git clone https://github.com/MrSibe/KnowNote.git
cd KnowNote
pnpm install
pnpm dev
```
---
## Tech Stack
Electron · React · TypeScript · Vite · TailwindCSS
SQLite · sqlite-vec · Drizzle ORM
pdfjs-dist · mammoth · officeparser · Tiptap
---
## Project Structure
```plaintext
KnowNote/
├── src/
│ ├── main/ # Electron main process
│ │ ├── db/ # Database configuration and schema
│ │ ├── services/ # Core logic (document parsing, RAG, etc.)
│ │ └── providers/ # LLM provider abstraction
│ ├── renderer/ # React renderer process
│ ├── preload/ # Electron preload scripts
│ └── shared/ # Shared types and utilities
├── resources/ # App resources (icons, etc.)
├── build/ # Build configuration
└── out/ # Build output
```
---
## Feedback & Contributions
Issues, discussions, and pull requests are all welcome.
If you have ideas about:
- learning workflows
- knowledge visualization
- model/provider abstraction
I’d love to hear them.
---
## License
This project is licensed under the **GPL-3.0 License**.
---
## Acknowledgments
- Google NotebookLM — inspiration
- Electron — cross-platform desktop framework
- React — UI framework
- SQLite & sqlite-vec — local storage and vector retrieval
---
## Star History
---
If this project resonates with you, feel free to try it, star it, or leave feedback.
Thanks for checking it out 🙏