Blinko - Self-Hosted Notes with AI RAG Baked In

For many users, a digital note-taking app can feel like a bare minimum of features or a simple text editor with some limited organization tools. But for those who need more than just a basic notes system, the search for a better way to manage their thoughts and ideas is ongoing.

Few apps have managed to strike the perfect balance between functionality and usability, offering features that are both powerful and accessible. Blinko stands out as a unique solution that goes beyond the norm to give you more options.

What is Blinko?

Blinko is a revolutionary open-source initiative that empowers people to seize their creative energy at any moment, capturing and organizing their instant thoughts with unparalleled ease.

Blinko Features

• AI-Enhanced Note Retrieval : Quickly search and access your notes using natural language queries, making it effortless to find exactly what you need. Connect to OpenAI or Ollama for RAG.
• Export and import your notes easily.
• Enable automated scheduled backups of the Blinko DB.
• Choose which Notes or Blinkos to share publicly.
• Data Ownership : Securely store all your notes and data in your self-hosted environment, ensuring complete control over your information.

Efficiency and Performance

• Efficient and Fast : Capture ideas instantly and store them as plain text for easy access, with full Markdown support for quick formatting and seamless sharing.
• Lightweight Architecture : Built on Next.js, delivering robust performance without sacrificing speed or efficiency.

Open-Source Community

• Open for Collaboration : Contribute to the open-source project and help shape its future through GitHub.
• Completely Free : Use Blinko completely free of cost, with no hidden fees or premium features locked behind paywalls.

Create individual "Blinkos" or Notes that serve as digital reminders, helping you stay focused on your priorities and keep track of your thoughts and ideas. With Blinko, you can organize your life in a way that works for you, separating work from leisure between the two.

You can try the Blinko demo here before you decide to install in yourself.

Install Blinko using Docker

I installed Blinko on my Proxmox server using Docker Compose. If you need help installing Docker and want to learn more about how to get started self-hosting with Docker, please see our getting started with self-hosting guides.

networks:
  blinko-network:
    driver: bridge

services:
  blinko-website:
    image: blinkospace/blinko:latest
    container_name: blinko-website
    environment:
      NODE_ENV: production
      # NEXTAUTH_URL: http://localhost:1111
      # NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL: http://localhost:1111
      NEXTAUTH_SECRET: ePxiS9WnT1
      DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:XDcONxlyRAn@postgres:5432/postgres
    depends_on:
      postgres:
        condition: service_healthy
    # Make sure you have enough permissions.
    volumes:
      - /docker/blinko/app:/app/.blinko 
    restart: always
    logging:
      options:
        max-size: "10m"
        max-file: "3"
    ports:
      - 1111:1111
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://blinko-website:1111/"]
      interval: 30s 
      timeout: 10s   
      retries: 5     
      start_period: 30s 
    networks:
      - blinko-network

  postgres:
    image: postgres:14
    container_name: blinko-postgres
    restart: always
    ports:
      - 5435:5432
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: postgres
      POSTGRES_USER: postgres
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: XDcONxlyRAn
      TZ: AAmerica/Detroit
    # Persisting container data
    # Make sure you have enough permissions.
    volumes:
       - /docker/blinko/db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    healthcheck:
      test:
        ["CMD", "pg_isready", "-U", "postgres", "-d", "postgres"]
      interval: 5s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 5
    networks:
      - blinko-network

Final Notes and Thoughts

I'm thoroughly enjoying Blinko as my go-to app for capturing memories, jotting down notes, bookmarking websites, and even sharing snippets of code with others. What I love is how it fills the gap between what Usememos should have been, but wasn't, making it an excellent alternative solution that's exceeded my expectations.

Show your support by giving the project a star on the Blinko Github page!