Blinko

Self-Hosted

Open-source, self-hosted note-taking app with real-time collaboration

Overview

Blinko is an open-source, self-hosted note-taking tool for privacy-focused individuals and teams. It supports markdown with live preview, real-time collaborative editing, and flexible organization via folders and tags. Users get offline access with automatic sync when reconnected. Deployment is simple—use Docker Compose for one-click setup, or follow bare-metal guides for Node.js/PostgreSQL. It prioritizes data ownership (all notes stay on your server) and integrates with Nextcloud for backup. Lightweight and fast, it avoids bloat while delivering core note-taking and collaboration features.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  blinko:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: blinko
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Markdown support with live preview
Real-time collaborative editing
Folder and tag organization
Offline access with auto-sync
Docker-based easy deployment

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Blinko hard to install?

Blinko offers simple deployment via Docker Compose—pull the image, configure basic env vars (database credentials), and run. For non-Docker users, step-by-step guides for bare-metal setup (Node.js + PostgreSQL) are available in the docs.

? Is it a good alternative to Notion?

Blinko is ideal if you want a lightweight, self-hosted alternative focused on core note-taking and collaboration. It lacks Notion’s advanced database/template features but excels at privacy and simplicity without bloat.

? Is it completely free?

Yes—Blinko is open-source under the MIT License. You can use, modify, and self-host it for free with no hidden costs or premium tiers.

Top Alternatives

Notion Compare

Evernote Compare

Microsoft OneNote Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Free/Open Source

Category Note-taking & Editors

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (data remains on your server)
⊕ No recurring subscription fees
⊕ Lightweight and fast performance
⊕ Real-time collaboration for teams

Cons

⊖ Smaller community compared to mainstream tools
⊖ Limited third-party integrations
⊖ Lacks advanced features like databases (vs Notion)