NoteDiscovery/README.md

# 📝 NoteDiscovery

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> Your Self-Hosted Knowledge Base

## What is NoteDiscovery?

NoteDiscovery is a **lightweight, self-hosted note-taking application** that puts you in complete control of your knowledge base. Write, organize, and discover your notes with a beautiful, modern interface—all running on your own server.

![Note Discovery](docs/carousel-1.jpg)

## 🎯 Who is it for?

- **Privacy-conscious users** who want complete control over their data
- **Developers** who prefer markdown and local file storage
- **Knowledge workers** building a personal wiki or second brain
- **Teams** looking for a self-hosted alternative to commercial apps
- **Anyone** who values simplicity, speed, and ownership

---

<p align="center">
  <a href="https://www.notediscovery.com"><img src="docs/website-button.svg" alt="Official Website"></a>
  &nbsp;&nbsp;
  <a href="https://gamosoft-notediscovery-demo.hf.space"><img src="docs/demo-button.svg" alt="Try Live Demo"></a>
</p>
<p align="center">
  <a href="https://www.pikapods.com/pods?run=notediscovery"><img src="https://www.pikapods.com/static/run-button.svg" alt="Run on PikaPods"></a>
  &nbsp;&nbsp;
  <a href="https://ko-fi.com/gamosoft"><img src="https://ko-fi.com/img/githubbutton_sm.svg" alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com"></a>
</p>

---

## ✨ Why NoteDiscovery?

### vs. Commercial Apps (Notion, Evernote, Obsidian Sync)

| Feature | NoteDiscovery | Commercial Apps |
|---------|---------------|-----------------|
| **Cost** | 100% Free | $xxx/month/year |
| **Privacy** | Your server, your data | Their servers, their terms |
| **Speed** | Lightning fast | Depends on internet |
| **Offline** | Always works | Limited or requires sync |
| **Customization** | Full control | Limited options |
| **No Lock-in** | Plain markdown files | Proprietary formats |

### Key Benefits

- 🔒 **Total Privacy** - Your notes never leave your server
- 🔐 **Optional Authentication** - Simple password protection for self-hosted deployments
- 💰 **Zero Cost** - No subscriptions, no hidden fees
- 🚀 **Fast & Lightweight** - Instant search and navigation
- 🎨 **Beautiful Themes** - Multiple themes, easy to customize
- 🔌 **Extensible** - Plugin system for custom features
- 📱 **Responsive** - Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
- 📂 **Simple Storage** - Plain markdown files in folders
- 🧮 **Math Support** - LaTeX/MathJax for beautiful equations
- 📄 **HTML Export & Print** - Export notes as standalone HTML or print
- 🕸️ **Graph View** - Interactive visualization of connected notes
- ✏️ **Drawing editor** - In-app canvas for sketches and annotations saved as `drawing-*.png` — **see the next section**
- ⭐ **Favorites** - Star your most-used notes for instant access
- 📑 **Outline Panel** - Navigate headings with click-to-jump TOC
- 🤖 **AI Assistant Ready** - MCP integration for Claude, Cursor & more

## ✏️ Drawing editor

NoteDiscovery isn’t only markdown—you can **sketch, diagram, and mark up ideas** without a separate app. Use **+ New → New drawing** in the sidebar: the app creates a **`drawing-{timestamp}.png`** in the folder you choose, next to your `.md` files. Open it from the tree like any image; files named `drawing-*.png` open in the **drawing viewer** instead of the static image viewer.

**What you get**

| | |
|--|--|
| **Tools** | Pencil, line, rectangle, ellipse, **eraser** (paints with the canvas background), **eyedropper** (sample color from the pixel under the cursor), **clear** (replace with a blank white image—confirmed, then saved). |
| **Toolbar** | Color picker and stroke width next to the tools; main bar still has **undo/redo** for strokes when the drawing is focused. |
| **Saving** | **Autosave** shortly after you release the pointer from a stroke; **Ctrl+S** / **Cmd+S** saves the PNG immediately (same key as saving a note). |
| **On disk** | Ordinary PNG files—embed in notes with `![]()`, version in Git, back up with the rest of your vault. |

> 📖 **Reference:** [documentation/DRAWING.md](documentation/DRAWING.md) · Also covered in [FEATURES.md](documentation/FEATURES.md)

## 🤖 AI-Powered Note Management

<p align="center">
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP-Compatible-blueviolet?style=for-the-badge&logo=data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="MCP Compatible">
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Works%20with-Claude-orange?style=for-the-badge" alt="Works with Claude">
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Works%20with-Cursor-blue?style=for-the-badge" alt="Works with Cursor">
</p>

NoteDiscovery includes a built-in **Model Context Protocol (MCP)** server, letting AI assistants directly interact with your notes:

| What AI Can Do | Example |
|----------------|---------|
| 🔍 **Search & Discover** | *"Find all my notes about Docker deployment"* |
| 📝 **Create & Edit** | *"Create a meeting notes template for tomorrow"* |
| 📁 **Organize** | *"Move all project notes to the archive folder"* |
| 🏷️ **Tag & Categorize** | *"List all notes tagged with #urgent"* |
| 📊 **Explore Connections** | *"Show me the knowledge graph of my notes"* |
| ✍️ **Append Ideas** | *"Add this thought to my daily journal"* |

**One-line setup** for Cursor, Claude Desktop, and other MCP-compatible tools:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "notediscovery": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "--rm", "-i", "-e", "NOTEDISCOVERY_URL=http://host.docker.internal:8000", "ghcr.io/gamosoft/notediscovery:latest", "python", "-m", "mcp_server"]
    }
  }
}
```

> 💡 **See [MCP.md](documentation/MCP.md)** for complete setup instructions and all available tools.

## 🚀 Quick Start

### Quick Setup

**Linux/macOS:**
```bash
mkdir -p notediscovery/data && cd notediscovery
docker run -d --name notediscovery -p 8000:8000 \
  -v $(pwd)/data:/app/data \
  ghcr.io/gamosoft/notediscovery:latest
```

**Windows (PowerShell):**
```powershell
mkdir notediscovery\data; cd notediscovery
docker run -d --name notediscovery -p 8000:8000 `
  -v ${PWD}/data:/app/data `
  ghcr.io/gamosoft/notediscovery:latest
```

Open **http://localhost:8000** — done! 🎉  


> 💡 Your notes are saved in `./data/`. Themes, plugins, locales and default configuration values are included in the image.

### Using Docker Compose

Two docker-compose files are provided:

| File | Use Case |
|------|----------|
| `docker-compose.ghcr.yml` | **Recommended** - Uses pre-built image from GitHub Container Registry |
| `docker-compose.yml` | For development - Builds from local source |

**Option 1: Pre-built image (fastest)**

Linux/macOS:
```bash
mkdir -p notediscovery/data && cd notediscovery
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gamosoft/notediscovery/main/docker-compose.ghcr.yml
docker-compose -f docker-compose.ghcr.yml up -d
```

Windows (PowerShell):
```powershell
mkdir notediscovery\data; cd notediscovery
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gamosoft/notediscovery/main/docker-compose.ghcr.yml -OutFile docker-compose.ghcr.yml
docker-compose -f docker-compose.ghcr.yml up -d
```

**Option 2: Build from source (for development)**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery.git
cd notediscovery
docker-compose up -d
```

See [Advanced Docker Setup](#advanced-docker-setup) for volume details.


### Running Locally (Without Docker)

For development or if you prefer running directly:

```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery.git
cd notediscovery

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Run the application
python run.py

# Access at http://localhost:8000
```

**Requirements:**
- Python 3.8 or higher
- pip (Python package manager)

#### Using Virtual Environments (Recommended for Arch/Fedora/Ubuntu 23.04+)

Modern Linux distributions enforce [PEP 668](https://peps.python.org/pep-0668/), which prevents system-wide pip installs. Use a virtual environment instead:

```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/gamosoft/notediscovery.git
cd notediscovery

# Create a virtual environment
python -m venv venv

# Activate it (choose your shell):
source venv/bin/activate        # Bash/Zsh (most Linux distros)
source venv/bin/activate.fish   # Fish (CachyOS, etc.)
source venv/bin/activate.csh    # Csh/Tcsh
.\venv\Scripts\activate         # Windows PowerShell

# Install dependencies and run
pip install -r requirements.txt
python run.py
```

> ⚠️ **Warning**
>
> *You'll need to activate the virtual environment (source venv/bin/activate) each time you open a new terminal before running the app*

### Advanced Docker Setup

The image includes bundled config, themes, plugins, and locales. To customize, you must:
1. **Map the volume** in your docker-compose or docker run command
2. **Provide content** - the file/folder must exist with valid content (empty = app might break!)

| Volume | Purpose | Bundled? |
|--------|---------|----------|
| `data/` | Your notes | ❌ You must create |
| `config.yaml` | App settings | ✅ Yes |
| `themes/` | Custom themes | ✅ Yes |
| `plugins/` | Custom plugins | ✅ Yes |
| `locales/` | Translations | ✅ Yes |

### Dashboard Integration

<a href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/homarr-labs/dashboard-icons@master/svg/notediscovery.svg" target="_blank">
  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/homarr-labs/dashboard-icons@master/svg/notediscovery.svg" alt="NoteDiscovery Icon" width="64" height="64">
</a>

An official icon for NoteDiscovery is now available on [Dashboard Icons](https://dashboardicons.com/icons/notediscovery)!  
Use it in your self-hosted dashboards like Homepage, Homarr, Dashy, Heimdall, etc...

## 📚 Documentation

Want to learn more?

- 🎨 **[THEMES.md](documentation/THEMES.md)** - Theme customization and creating custom themes
- ✨ **[FEATURES.md](documentation/FEATURES.md)** - Complete feature list and keyboard shortcuts
- ✏️ **[DRAWING.md](documentation/DRAWING.md)** - Built-in drawing editor (`drawing-*.png`), save behavior, and API notes
- 🏷️ **[TAGS.md](documentation/TAGS.md)** - Organize notes with tags and combined filtering
- 📋 **[TEMPLATES.md](documentation/TEMPLATES.md)** - Create notes from reusable templates with dynamic placeholders
- 🧮 **[MATHJAX.md](documentation/MATHJAX.md)** - LaTeX/Math notation examples and syntax reference
- 📊 **[MERMAID.md](documentation/MERMAID.md)** - Diagram creation with Mermaid (flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and more)
- 🔌 **[PLUGINS.md](documentation/PLUGINS.md)** - Plugin system and available plugins
- 🌐 **[API.md](documentation/API.md)** - REST API documentation and examples
- 🤖 **[MCP.md](documentation/MCP.md)** - AI assistant integration (Claude, Cursor, and more)
- 🔐 **[AUTHENTICATION.md](documentation/AUTHENTICATION.md)** - Enable password protection for your instance
- 🔧 **[ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLES.md](documentation/ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLES.md)** - Configure settings via environment variables

## 🌍 Multiple Languages

NoteDiscovery supports multiple interface languages via JSON locale files in `locales/`. Open **Settings** (gear icon) → **Language** to choose one; the list reflects whatever locales are installed (bundled files, mounts, or your own additions).

**To add your own language:** See the [Contributing Guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md#-contributing-translations) for instructions on creating translation files.

**Docker users:** Mount your custom locales folder to add or override translations:

```yaml
volumes:
  - ./locales:/app/locales  # Custom translations
```

💡 **Pro Tip:** If you clone this repository, you can mount the `documentation/` folder to view these docs inside the app:

```yaml
# In your docker-compose.yml
volumes:
  - ./data:/app/data              # Your personal notes
  - ./documentation:/app/data/docs:ro  # Mount docs subfolder inside the data folder (read-only)
```

Then access them at `http://localhost:8000` - the docs will appear as a `docs/` folder in the file browser!

## 🤝 Contributing

**Before submitting a pull request**, especially for major changes, please:
- Read our **[Contributing Guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md)**
- Open an issue first to discuss major features or significant changes
- Ensure your code follows the project's style and philosophy


## 🔒 Security Considerations

NoteDiscovery is designed for **self-hosted, private use**. Please keep these security considerations in mind:

### Network Security
- ⚠️ **Do NOT expose directly to the internet** without additional security measures
- Run behind a reverse proxy (nginx, Caddy) with HTTPS for production use
- Keep it on your local network or use a VPN for remote access
- By default, the app listens on `0.0.0.0:8000` (all network interfaces)

### Authentication
- **Password protection is DISABLED by default** (default password: `admin`)
- ⚠️ **ENABLE AUTHENTICATION AND CHANGE THE DEFAULT PASSWORD** if exposing to a network!
- See **[AUTHENTICATION.md](documentation/AUTHENTICATION.md)** for complete setup instructions
- To disable auth, set `authentication.enabled: false` in `config.yaml`
- Perfect for single-user or small team deployments
- For multi-user setups, consider a reverse proxy with OAuth/SSO

### Data Privacy
- Your notes are stored as **plain text markdown files** in the `data/` folder
- No data is sent to external services
- Regular backups are recommended

### Best Practices
- Run on `localhost` or a private network only
- Use Docker for isolation and easier security management
- Keep your system and dependencies updated
- Review and audit any plugins you install
- Set appropriate file permissions on the `data/` directory

**TL;DR**: Perfect for personal use on your local machine or home network. Enable built-in password protection if needed, or use a reverse proxy with authentication if exposing to wider networks.

## 📄 License

MIT License - Free to use, modify, and distribute.

---

Made with ❤️ for the self-hosting community