# Blinko — Self-Hosted Personal AI Note-Taking Tool

> An open-source, self-hosted personal note-taking tool with AI-powered tagging, search, and organization, built with Next.js and PostgreSQL.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Blinko — Self-Hosted Personal AI Note-Taking Tool

## Quick Use
```bash
docker run -d --name blinko 
  -p 1111:1111 
  -v blinko-data:/app/data 
  blinkospace/blinko:latest
# Open http://localhost:1111
```

## Introduction
Blinko is a self-hosted, AI-enhanced personal note-taking tool designed for fast capture of fleeting thoughts and structured notes. It combines a clean writing interface with AI-powered organization, automatic tagging, and semantic search, all running on your own server with PostgreSQL storage.

## What Blinko Does
- Captures quick notes and longer-form content with a Markdown editor and instant save
- Automatically tags and categorizes notes using a connected AI model (OpenAI or local Ollama)
- Provides semantic search across all notes using vector embeddings for meaning-based retrieval
- Organizes content with hashtags, favorites, and timeline views for easy browsing
- Syncs across devices through the responsive web interface accessible from any browser

## Architecture Overview
Blinko is built with Next.js for both the frontend and API layer, using tRPC for type-safe client-server communication. Notes are stored in PostgreSQL with pgvector for embedding-based search. The AI integration layer supports OpenAI-compatible APIs or local Ollama endpoints for tagging and search embeddings. File attachments are stored on the local filesystem or S3-compatible storage.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy with Docker using a single container; PostgreSQL can be bundled or run externally
- Set `OPENAI_API_KEY` or configure `OLLAMA_URL` in environment variables for AI features
- Mount `/app/data` as a persistent volume for database and file storage
- Configure a reverse proxy with HTTPS for secure remote access
- Use the settings panel to adjust AI model, language, and note display preferences

## Key Features
- Sub-second note capture with keyboard shortcut support for rapid idea logging
- AI-generated tags eliminate manual categorization overhead
- Vector-based semantic search finds related notes even without exact keyword matches
- Progressive Web App support for mobile home screen installation
- Daily review feature surfaces notes from the past for spaced-repetition reflection

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Memos** — Microblogging-style notes; Blinko adds AI tagging and semantic search
- **Logseq** — Outliner-based knowledge graph; Blinko is simpler with a focus on quick capture
- **Joplin** — Desktop-first with sync; Blinko is web-first with AI organization built in
- **SiYuan** — Block-based editor; Blinko prioritizes speed of capture over structural editing
- **Notesnook** — End-to-end encrypted; Blinko trades E2EE for AI-powered features on your own server

## FAQ
**Q: Can Blinko work without an AI provider?**
A: Yes. AI tagging and semantic search are optional. Without them, Blinko functions as a standard note-taking tool with manual hashtags and full-text search.

**Q: Is there a mobile app?**
A: Blinko is a PWA. Add it to your home screen from Safari or Chrome for an app-like experience with offline caching.

**Q: How do I back up my notes?**
A: Export all notes as Markdown or JSON from the settings panel. For full backups, snapshot the PostgreSQL database and the `/app/data` volume.

**Q: Can I share notes with others?**
A: Individual notes can be published as public links. Multi-user collaboration is on the roadmap but not yet implemented.

## Sources
- https://github.com/blinkospace/blinko
- https://blinko.app

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/44641b25-4080-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot