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[![Stargazers][stars-shield]][stars-url]
[![Issues][issues-shield]][issues-url]
[![MIT License][license-shield]][license-url]
## A private, multi-model, 100% local, full-featured alternative to Notebook LM
In a world dominated by Artificial Intelligence, having the ability to think π§ and acquire new knowledge π‘, is a skill that should not be a privilege for a few, nor restricted to a single provider.
**Open Notebook empowers you to:**
- π **Control your data** - Keep your research private and secure
- π€ **Choose your AI models** - Support for 18+ providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, LM Studio, and more
- π **Organize multi-modal content** - PDFs, videos, audio, web pages, and more
- ποΈ **Generate professional podcasts** - Advanced multi-speaker podcast generation
- π **Search intelligently** - Full-text and vector search across all your content
- π¬ **Chat with context** - AI conversations powered by your research
- π **Multi-language UI** - English, Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Japanese, Russian, and Bengali support
Learn more about our project at [https://www.open-notebook.ai](https://www.open-notebook.ai)
---
## π Open Notebook vs Google Notebook LM
| Feature | Open Notebook | Google Notebook LM | Advantage |
|---------|---------------|--------------------|-----------|
| **Privacy & Control** | Self-hosted, your data | Google cloud only | Complete data sovereignty |
| **AI Provider Choice** | 18+ providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, LM Studio, etc.) | Google models only | Flexibility and cost optimization |
| **Podcast Speakers** | 1-4 speakers with custom profiles | 2 speakers only | Extreme flexibility |
| **Content Transformations** | Custom and built-in | Limited options | Unlimited processing power |
| **API Access** | Full REST API | No API | Complete automation |
| **Deployment** | Docker, cloud, or local | Google hosted only | Deploy anywhere |
| **Citations** | Basic references (will improve) | Comprehensive with sources | Research integrity |
| **Customization** | Open source, fully customizable | Closed system | Unlimited extensibility |
| **Cost** | Pay only for AI usage | Free tier + Monthly subscription | Transparent and controllable |
**Why Choose Open Notebook?**
- π **Privacy First**: Your sensitive research stays completely private
- π° **Cost Control**: Choose cheaper AI providers or run locally with Ollama
- ποΈ **Better Podcasts**: Full script control and multi-speaker flexibility vs limited 2-speaker deep-dive format
- π§ **Unlimited Customization**: Modify, extend, and integrate as needed
- π **No Vendor Lock-in**: Switch providers, deploy anywhere, own your data
### Built With
[![Python][Python]][Python-url] [![Next.js][Next.js]][Next-url] [![React][React]][React-url] [![SurrealDB][SurrealDB]][SurrealDB-url] [![LangChain][LangChain]][LangChain-url]
## π Quick Start (2 Minutes)
### Prerequisites
- [Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/) installed
- That's it! (API keys configured later in the UI)
### Step 1: Get docker-compose.yml
**Option A:** Download directly
```bash
curl -o docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/main/docker-compose.yml
```
**Option B:** Create the file manually
Copy this into a new file called `docker-compose.yml`:
```yaml
services:
surrealdb:
image: surrealdb/surrealdb:v2
# Credentials default to root:root for a zero-config local setup. Before
# exposing this instance to a network, set SURREAL_USER / SURREAL_PASSWORD
# in a .env file (see .env.example) β they are applied here and to the
# open_notebook service below, so the two always stay in sync.
# List (exec) form so each interpolated value stays a single argument β
# a password containing spaces would otherwise be split into several.
command: ["start", "--log", "info", "--user", "${SURREAL_USER:-root}", "--pass", "${SURREAL_PASSWORD:-root}", "rocksdb:/mydata/mydatabase.db"]
user: root # Required for bind mounts on Linux
ports:
# Bound to localhost only: the open_notebook service reaches this over
# the internal compose network regardless, so the host port is purely
# for local debugging (e.g. Surrealist, `surreal sql`). Exposing this
# on 0.0.0.0 would let anyone who can reach the host connect with the
# default root:root credentials.
- "127.0.0.1:8000:8000"
volumes:
- ./surreal_data:/mydata
environment:
- SURREAL_EXPERIMENTAL_GRAPHQL=true
restart: always
pull_policy: always
open_notebook:
image: lfnovo/open_notebook:v1-latest
ports:
- "8502:8502" # Web UI
- "5055:5055" # REST API
environment:
# REQUIRED: Change this to your own secret string
# This encrypts your API keys in the database
- OPEN_NOTEBOOK_ENCRYPTION_KEY=change-me-to-a-secret-string
# Database connection. SURREAL_USER / SURREAL_PASSWORD default to root:root
# for local use; override them in a .env file before exposing the instance
# (the same values configure the surrealdb service above).
- SURREAL_URL=ws://surrealdb:8000/rpc
- SURREAL_USER=${SURREAL_USER:-root}
- SURREAL_PASSWORD=${SURREAL_PASSWORD:-root}
- SURREAL_NAMESPACE=open_notebook
- SURREAL_DATABASE=open_notebook
volumes:
- ./notebook_data:/app/data
depends_on:
- surrealdb
restart: always
pull_policy: always
```
### Step 2: Set Your Encryption Key
Edit `docker-compose.yml` and change this line:
```yaml
- OPEN_NOTEBOOK_ENCRYPTION_KEY=change-me-to-a-secret-string
```
to any secret value (e.g., `my-super-secret-key-123`)
### Step 3: Start Services
```bash
docker compose up -d
```
Wait 15-20 seconds, then open: **http://localhost:8502**
### Step 4: Configure AI Provider
1. Go to **Models** and choose your provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc.)
2. Click **+ Add Configuration**
3. Paste your API key and other info as needed and click **Add Configuration**
4. Click **Test** to test connection
5. Click **Sync Models** and check models to include
6. Under **Default Model Assignments**, click **Auto-Assign Defaults** or manually specify which models to use for what
Done! You're ready to create your first notebook.
> **Need an API key?** Get one from:
> [OpenAI](https://platform.openai.com/api-keys) Β· [Anthropic](https://console.anthropic.com/) Β· [Google](https://aistudio.google.com/) Β· [Groq](https://console.groq.com/) (free tier)
> **Want free local AI?** See [examples/docker-compose-ollama.yml](examples/) for Ollama setup
---
### π More Installation Options
- **[With Ollama (Free Local AI)](examples/docker-compose-ollama.yml)** - Run models locally without API costs
- **[From Source (Developers)](docs/1-INSTALLATION/from-source.md)** - For development and contributions
- **[Complete Installation Guide](docs/1-INSTALLATION/index.md)** - All deployment scenarios
---
### π Need Help?
- **π€ AI Installation Assistant**: [CustomGPT to help you install](https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68776e2765b48191bd1bae3f30212631-open-notebook-installation-assistant)
- **π Troubleshooting**: [5-minute troubleshooting guide](docs/6-TROUBLESHOOTING/quick-fixes.md)
- **π¬ Community Support**: [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/37XJPXfz2w)
- **π Report Issues**: [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/issues)
---
## Star History
[](https://star-history.dera.page/#lfnovo/open-notebook&type=date&legend=top-left)
## Provider Support Matrix
Thanks to the [Esperanto](https://github.com/lfnovo/esperanto) library, we support this providers out of the box!
| Provider | LLM Support | Embedding Support | Speech-to-Text | Text-to-Speech |
|--------------|-------------|------------------|----------------|----------------|
| OpenAI | β
| β
| β
| β
|
| Anthropic | β
| β | β | β |
| Groq | β
| β | β
| β |
| Google (GenAI) | β
| β
| β
| β
|
| Vertex AI | β
| β
| β | β
|
| Ollama | β
| β
| β | β |
| oMLX | β
| β
| β | β |
| Perplexity | β
| β | β | β |
| ElevenLabs | β | β | β
| β
|
| Deepgram | β | β | β
| β
|
| Azure OpenAI | β
| β
| β
| β
|
| Mistral | β
| β
| β
| β
|
| DeepSeek | β
| β | β | β |
| Cohere | β
| β
| β | β |
| Voyage | β | β
| β | β |
| xAI | β
| β | β | β
|
| OpenRouter | β
| β
| β
| β
|
| DashScope (Qwen) | β
| β | β | β |
| MiniMax | β
| β | β | β |
| Novita | β
| β | β | β |
| PayPerQ (PPQ) | β
| β
| β
| β
|
| OpenAI Compatible* | β
| β
| β
| β
|
*Supports LM Studio and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Prefer the native **oMLX** provider for [oMLX](https://omlx.ai/) (Apple Silicon); see [docs/5-CONFIGURATION/omlx.md](docs/5-CONFIGURATION/omlx.md).
## β¨ Key Features
### Core Capabilities
- **π Privacy-First**: Your data stays under your control - no cloud dependencies
- **π― Multi-Notebook Organization**: Manage multiple research projects seamlessly
- **π Universal Content Support**: PDFs, videos, audio, web pages, Office docs, and more
- **π€ Multi-Model AI Support**: 18+ providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, Google, LM Studio, and more
- **ποΈ Professional Podcast Generation**: Advanced multi-speaker podcasts with Episode Profiles
- **π Intelligent Search**: Full-text and vector search across all your content
- **π¬ Context-Aware Chat**: AI conversations powered by your research materials
- **π AI-Assisted Notes**: Generate insights or write notes manually
### Advanced Features
- **β‘ Reasoning Model Support**: Full support for thinking models like DeepSeek-R1 and Qwen3
- **π§ Content Transformations**: Powerful customizable actions to summarize and extract insights
- **π Comprehensive REST API**: Full programmatic access for custom integrations [](http://localhost:5055/docs)
- **π Optional Password Protection**: Secure public deployments with authentication
- **π Fine-Grained Context Control**: Choose exactly what to share with AI models
- **π Citations**: Get answers with proper source citations
## Podcast Feature
[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-760MlGwaI)
## π Documentation
### Getting Started
- **[π Introduction](docs/0-START-HERE/index.md)** - Learn what Open Notebook offers
- **[β‘ Quick Start with OpenAI](docs/0-START-HERE/quick-start-openai.md)** - Get up and running in 5 minutes
- **[π§ Installation](docs/1-INSTALLATION/index.md)** - Comprehensive setup guide
- **[π― Run It Fully Local](docs/0-START-HERE/quick-start-local.md)** - Ollama/LM Studio, completely private
### User Guide
- **[π± Interface Overview](docs/3-USER-GUIDE/interface-overview.md)** - Understanding the layout
- **[π Notebooks, Sources & Notes](docs/2-CORE-CONCEPTS/notebooks-sources-notes.md)** - Organizing your research
- **[π Adding Sources](docs/3-USER-GUIDE/adding-sources.md)** - Managing content types
- **[π Working with Notes](docs/3-USER-GUIDE/working-with-notes.md)** - Creating and managing notes
- **[π¬ Chatting Effectively](docs/3-USER-GUIDE/chat-effectively.md)** - AI conversations
- **[π Search](docs/3-USER-GUIDE/search.md)** - Finding information
### Advanced Topics
- **[ποΈ Podcast Generation](docs/2-CORE-CONCEPTS/podcasts-explained.md)** - Create professional podcasts
- **[π§ Content Transformations](docs/3-USER-GUIDE/transformations.md)** - Customize content processing
- **[π€ AI Models](docs/4-AI-PROVIDERS/index.md)** - AI model configuration
- **[π MCP Integration](docs/5-CONFIGURATION/mcp-integration.md)** - Connect with Claude Desktop, VS Code and other MCP clients
- **[π§ REST API Reference](docs/7-DEVELOPMENT/api-reference.md)** - Complete API documentation
- **[π Security](docs/5-CONFIGURATION/security.md)** - Password protection and privacy
- **[π Deployment](docs/1-INSTALLATION/index.md)** - Complete deployment guides for all scenarios
- **[π§ Vision & Principles](VISION.md)** - What Open Notebook is, and where it's going
- **[π οΈ Developer Docs](docs/7-DEVELOPMENT/index.md)** - Architecture, setup, contributing, decision records
(back to top)
## πΊοΈ Roadmap
### Upcoming Features
- **Live Front-End Updates**: Real-time UI updates for smoother experience
- **Async Processing**: Faster UI through asynchronous content processing
- **Cross-Notebook Sources**: Reuse research materials across projects
- **Bookmark Integration**: Connect with your favorite bookmarking apps
### Recently Completed β
- **Next.js Frontend**: Modern React-based frontend with improved performance
- **Comprehensive REST API**: Full programmatic access to all functionality
- **Multi-Model Support**: 18+ AI providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, LM Studio
- **Advanced Podcast Generator**: Professional multi-speaker podcasts with Episode Profiles
- **Content Transformations**: Powerful customizable actions for content processing
- **Enhanced Citations**: Improved layout and finer control for source citations
- **Multiple Chat Sessions**: Manage different conversations within notebooks
Explore [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/discussions/categories/ideas) for proposed features and product ideas, and [open Issues](https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/issues) for known bugs and approved work.
(back to top)
## π Need Help?
- **π€ AI Installation Assistant**: We have a [CustomGPT built to help you install Open Notebook](https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68776e2765b48191bd1bae3f30212631-open-notebook-installation-assistant) - it will guide you through each step!
- **New to Open Notebook?** Start with our [Getting Started Guide](docs/0-START-HERE/index.md)
- **Need installation help?** Check our [Installation Guide](docs/1-INSTALLATION/index.md)
- **Want to see it in action?** Try our [Quick Start Tutorial](docs/0-START-HERE/index.md)
## π€ Community & Contributing
### Join the Community
- π¬ **[Discord Server](https://discord.gg/37XJPXfz2w)** - Get help, share ideas, and connect with other users
- π **[Follow @lfnovo on X](https://x.com/lfnovo)** - Project updates and news from the maintainer
- π‘ **[GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/discussions)** - Ask questions and shape features, product direction, design, and architecture
- π **[GitHub Issues](https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/issues)** - Report reproducible bugs and find approved work
- β **Star this repo** - Show your support and help others discover Open Notebook
### Contributing
We welcome contributions! We're especially looking for help with:
- **Frontend Development**: Help improve our modern Next.js/React UI
- **Testing & Bug Fixes**: Make Open Notebook more robust
- **Feature Development**: Build the coolest research tool together
- **Documentation**: Improve guides and tutorials
**Current Tech Stack**: Python, FastAPI, Next.js, React, SurrealDB
**Future Roadmap**: Real-time updates, enhanced async processing
See our [Contributing Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md) for detailed information on how to get started, including our guidelines for [AI-assisted contributions](docs/7-DEVELOPMENT/contributing.md#ai-assisted-and-agent-generated-prs). To understand what we're building (and what we'll say no to), read [VISION.md](VISION.md).
(back to top)
## π License
Open Notebook is MIT licensed. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
**Community Support**:
- π¬ [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/37XJPXfz2w) - Get help, share ideas, and connect with users
- π [Follow @lfnovo on X](https://x.com/lfnovo) - Project updates and news from the maintainer
- π‘ [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/discussions) - Ask questions and shape ideas
- π [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/issues) - Report reproducible bugs and find approved work
- π [Website](https://www.open-notebook.ai) - Learn more about the project
(back to top)
[contributors-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/contributors/lfnovo/open-notebook.svg?style=for-the-badge
[contributors-url]: https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/graphs/contributors
[forks-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/forks/lfnovo/open-notebook.svg?style=for-the-badge
[forks-url]: https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/network/members
[stars-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/stars/lfnovo/open-notebook.svg?style=for-the-badge
[stars-url]: https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/stargazers
[issues-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/issues/lfnovo/open-notebook.svg?style=for-the-badge
[issues-url]: https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/issues
[license-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/license/lfnovo/open-notebook.svg?style=for-the-badge
[license-url]: https://github.com/lfnovo/open-notebook/blob/master/LICENSE.txt
[linkedin-shield]: https://img.shields.io/badge/-LinkedIn-black.svg?style=for-the-badge&logo=linkedin&colorB=555
[linkedin-url]: https://linkedin.com/in/lfnovo
[product-screenshot]: images/screenshot.png
[Next.js]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Next.js-000000?style=for-the-badge&logo=next.js&logoColor=white
[Next-url]: https://nextjs.org/
[React]: https://img.shields.io/badge/React-61DAFB?style=for-the-badge&logo=react&logoColor=black
[React-url]: https://reactjs.org/
[Python]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Python-3776AB?style=for-the-badge&logo=python&logoColor=white
[Python-url]: https://www.python.org/
[LangChain]: https://img.shields.io/badge/LangChain-3A3A3A?style=for-the-badge&logo=chainlink&logoColor=white
[LangChain-url]: https://www.langchain.com/
[SurrealDB]: https://img.shields.io/badge/SurrealDB-FF5E00?style=for-the-badge&logo=databricks&logoColor=white
[SurrealDB-url]: https://surrealdb.com/
