Blinko

Blinko is an open-source, self-hosted AI-powered note-taking tool built with TypeScript, Next.js, and React, licensed under GPL-3.0. It is designed for individuals who want to capture fleeting thoughts instantly and retrieve them later using natural language queries. The project is actively maintained on GitHub and reached version 1.8.7 as of April 2026.

What It Is

Blinko is a card-style note-taking application that combines plain-text and Markdown note capture with AI-driven retrieval. Unlike cloud-dependent note apps, Blinko runs entirely in a self-hosted environment, giving users full ownership of their data. Its core differentiator is an AI-powered RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) layer that lets users search their notes using natural language rather than exact keyword matching.

Self-Hosted Deployment Model

Blinko is designed to be deployed on your own infrastructure in seconds using Docker:

• A single curl command pulls and runs the install script
• Also available via PikaPods for one-click managed hosting (with 20% of fees donated back to the project)
• Supports macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux through a Tauri-based desktop client
• All data stays in the user's own environment — no third-party cloud storage

Core Capabilities

• AI-Enhanced Search: RAG-powered natural language queries over your own notes
• Instant Capture: Plain text and full Markdown support for fast idea recording
• Data Ownership: Notes stored locally in a self-hosted Postgres database
• Lightweight Architecture: Built with Tauri for native multi-platform performance
• Open Collaboration: Fully transparent codebase on GitHub, welcoming community contributions

Architecture and Stack

Blinko is built on a modern TypeScript stack using Next.js and React on the frontend, with PostgreSQL as the backing database. The Tauri framework enables native desktop builds across platforms. The AI layer integrates with OpenAI-compatible APIs to power the RAG search and note retrieval features. GitHub repository topics include self-hosted, openai, postgres, nextjs, react, and markdown.

Update: Blinko 1.8.7

The latest release is version 1.8.7, published on April 12, 2026. The repository was last updated in May 2026 and has accumulated over 10,000 GitHub stars and 739 forks since its creation in October 2024, reflecting rapid community growth. Active development continues with 383 open issues tracked on GitHub.