Deta Surf — AI Notebook That Brings Files and the Web Into Your Thinking

Introduction

Deta Surf is an AI-powered notebook application that unifies local files, web pages, and AI conversations into a single workspace. It is designed for researchers and knowledge workers who need to collect, organize, and synthesize information from multiple sources without switching between tools.

What Deta Surf Does

• Combines notes, web clips, files, and AI chat in one workspace
• Indexes local documents for instant full-text search and AI queries
• Captures web pages as structured content for offline reference
• Runs AI conversations grounded in your collected materials
• Stores everything locally first with optional cloud sync

Architecture Overview

Deta Surf is a desktop application built with web technologies. It maintains a local index of all imported content including files, web clips, and notes. An embedded AI engine can query this index to answer questions grounded in your materials. The local-first architecture means your data stays on your machine by default, with an optional sync layer for cross-device access.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Download the desktop app for macOS, Windows, or Linux
• No server required; all data is stored locally on your machine
• Import files by dragging them into the workspace
• Web clipper browser extension captures pages in one click
• AI features work with local models or API-based providers

Key Features

• Unified workspace merging notes, files, web content, and AI
• Local-first storage with no mandatory cloud dependency
• Full-text search across all imported and created content
• AI chat grounded in your personal knowledge base
• Multi-format support including PDF, Markdown, HTML, and images

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Notion AI — cloud-only with vendor lock-in; Deta Surf is local-first and open source
• Obsidian — Markdown-focused vault; Deta Surf integrates web clips and AI natively
• Rewind AI — records everything passively; Deta Surf lets you curate what enters your workspace
• Khoj — AI second brain with search; Deta Surf adds a full notebook and web-clipping workflow

FAQ

Q: Is my data sent to the cloud? A: No. Deta Surf stores everything locally by default. Cloud sync is optional and user-controlled.

Q: Which AI models does it support? A: It supports both local models (via Ollama) and API-based providers like OpenAI and Anthropic.

Q: Can I export my notes? A: Yes. Content can be exported as Markdown, PDF, or plain text files.

Q: Does it work offline? A: Yes. All core features including search and note-taking work offline. AI features require a model (local or API).

Sources

• https://github.com/deta/surf
• https://deta.surf/