# Blinko: A Privacy-Focused, Self-Hosted AI Note-Taking Tool
## Intro
In a world where most note-taking apps are either locked behind paywalls or harvest your data, **Blinko** stands out as a breath of fresh air. This open-source, self-hosted tool combines the simplicity of markdown notes with AI-powered retrieval—all while keeping your data firmly under your control. Built with TypeScript and Tauri, it’s lightweight, cross-platform, and designed for developers who care about privacy and efficiency.
## What It Does
Blinko is a personal AI note-taking tool that lets you:
- **Capture ideas quickly** in markdown format.
- **Search notes naturally** using AI-powered retrieval (RAG).
- **Self-host everything**—your data stays on your infrastructure.
- **Run anywhere**—macOS, Windows, Linux, Android—thanks to Tauri.
Think of it as a private, AI-enhanced alternative to tools like Obsidian or Notion, but with zero vendor lock-in.
## Why It’s Cool
- **Privacy-first**: No cloud dependencies; your notes never leave your server.
- **AI without the snooping**: Use OpenAI (or similar) APIs *if you want*, but the app doesn’t force you into a ecosystem.
- **Lightning-fast**: Tauri ensures native performance without Electron bloat.
- **Open for tinkering**: The codebase is clean TypeScript, making it easy to hack on or extend.
One standout feature is **natural language search**. Forget exact keywords—ask Blinko things like *"Show me notes about Next.js auth from last month"*, and it’ll find relevant snippets using AI.
## How to Try It
1. **Live Demo**: Check out the [demo](https://demo.blinko.space/) (credentials: `blinko/blinko`).
2. **Self-host**: Deploy in seconds with Docker:
```bash
curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/blinko-space/blinko/main/install.sh | bash
- Desktop Apps: Prebuilt binaries are available for download.
For the full experience, pair it with a local LLM or your preferred cloud AI API (instructions in the docs).
Final Thoughts
Blinko hits a sweet spot for developers who want:
- A no-nonsense note-taking tool.
- AI features without surrendering privacy.
- A project they can self-host and modify.
It’s not trying to replace your whole productivity stack—just the part where you jot down ideas and need to find them later. If you’ve ever lost a brilliant thought to a clunky notes app, Blinko might be your new favorite side project.
Star it on GitHub: blinkospace/blinko (and maybe contribute—it’s open source, after all).