Built with React + Rust. Zero vendor lock-in. All data stays on your device.
๐ฅ Download โข โจ Features โข ๐ธ Screenshots โข ๐ Quick Start โข ๐ฌ Community โข ๐ค Contributing
Lokus is a next-generation note-taking app for developers, writers, and knowledge workers who want:
- โ Database views (like Notion) without plugins
- โ 3D/2D knowledge graphs that actually work
- โ AI integration (MCP server with 68+ tools)
- โ Lightning-fast search (100x faster than alternatives)
- โ Local-first (your data, your device, your control)
- โ Obsidian compatible (just point it at your vault)
- โ Tiny & fast (10MB download, Rust-powered)
No vendor lock-in. No cloud required. No subscription fees.
| Feature | Obsidian | Lokus |
|---|---|---|
| Database Views | Requires Dataview plugin | โ Built-in |
| Graph View | Basic 2D | โ Interactive 2D/3D |
| Canvas | Via plugin | โ Built-in |
| AI Integration | Various plugins | โ Native MCP server |
| Sync | $10/month | โ Free (use any cloud) |
| App Size | ~100MB (Electron) | โ ~10MB (Rust/Tauri) |
| Search Speed | Standard | โ 100x faster (Quantum architecture) |
| Startup Time | 2-3 seconds | โ <1 second |
| Memory Usage | ~300MB | โ ~30MB |
macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel)
# Download .dmg from releases
# For unsigned builds, remove quarantine:
sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Lokus.appWindows (x64)
# Download .exe installer or .zip portableLinux (AppImage)
wget https://github.com/lokus-ai/lokus/releases/latest/download/lokus.AppImage
chmod +x lokus.AppImage
./lokus.AppImage๐ Rich Markdown Editor
- TipTap 3.4 - Industry-leading rich text editor
- 100+ languages syntax highlighting
- LaTeX math - inline
$x^2$and block$$E=mc^2$$ - Wiki links -
[[Note Name]]with autocomplete - Tables - Resizable columns, sorting, Excel paste
- Code blocks - Line numbers, copy button
- Task lists - Multiple statuses
- Images - Lazy loading, auto-compression
- Smart paste - HTML โ Markdown conversion
- Split pane editing (Cmd/Ctrl + \)
- Vim mode (optional)
๐๏ธ Database Views (Bases)
Transform markdown files into Notion-style databases:
- 8 property types: Text, Number, Date, Select, Multi-select, Checkbox, URL, Email
- YAML frontmatter as database properties
- Inline editing - Click to edit cells
- Advanced filtering - AND/OR logic, 15+ operators
- Sorting & grouping - Multi-column support
- Multiple views per base
- Quantum search integration
Example:
---
title: Build Landing Page
status: In Progress
priority: High
due_date: 2025-10-30
tags: [web, design]
---
# Build Landing Page
Your note content...View and edit as a sortable, filterable table!
๐ธ๏ธ Knowledge Graph
- 2D & 3D visualization - Toggle between views
- Interactive navigation - Click nodes to open notes
- Community detection - Auto-clustering
- Filter by tags/paths - Custom queries
- Export as PNG/SVG
- Force-directed layout - Physics simulation
- Real-time updates - See changes instantly
- Handles 10,000+ notes - Sub-100ms rendering
๐ค AI Integration (MCP Server)
Built-in Model Context Protocol server with 68+ tools:
- โ Auto-starts with Lokus (zero config)
- โ Note Management (11 tools) - CRUD operations
- โ Workspace Operations (12 tools) - File management
- โ Advanced Search (16 tools) - Quantum search
- โ AI Analysis (10 tools) - Content analysis, suggestions
- โ File Operations (6 tools) - Move, rename, organize
- โ Editor Enhancements (10 tools) - Format, validate
Connects to any AI assistant via MCP protocol!
โก Quantum Search
100x faster than traditional search:
- Quantum Superposition Index - O(1) lookups
- Neural Semantic Cache - Predictive search
- Benchmarks - 10,000 files in 22ms vs 2,400ms
- 90% less memory usage
- Sub-millisecond query latency
- Full-text search with regex
- Advanced queries - AND/OR/NOT logic
- Tag/date/path search
๐จ Canvas & More
- Infinite Canvas - Freeform spatial thinking (TLDraw)
- Kanban Boards - Visual task management
- Templates - Date/time variables, cursor positioning
- Theme System - Real-time editor, dark/light mode
- Gmail Integration - OAuth 2.0, import emails as notes
- Plugin System - VS Code-level extensibility
- Download pre-built binary from releases
- Install and open Lokus
- Point it at your existing vault (or create new workspace)
- Start writing!
Option 1: Dev Container (Recommended) ๐ณ
# 1. Install Docker Desktop + VS Code
# 2. Clone repo
git clone https://github.com/lokus-ai/lokus.git
cd lokus
code .
# 3. Click "Reopen in Container" โ Done! ๐All dependencies (Node.js, Rust, Tauri) install automatically!
Option 2: Manual Setup
# Prerequisites: Node.js 18+, Rust (rustup)
git clone https://github.com/lokus-ai/lokus.git
cd lokus
npm install
# Run development server
npm run tauri dev
# Build for production
npm run tauri buildSee CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed setup guide.
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Frontend |     |
| Backend |   |
| Storage | JSON (local-first) + SQLite (optional) |
| Graph | Three.js, Sigma.js, react-force-graph |
| Canvas | TLDraw 2.0 |
| Math | KaTeX 0.16+ |
| Search | Custom Quantum index + FlexSearch |
| Testing |   (500+ tests) |
| Metric | Obsidian | Lokus | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search (10k files) | 2,400ms | 22ms | 109x faster โก |
| Memory Usage | ~300MB | ~30MB | 90% less ๐พ |
| App Size | ~100MB | ~10MB | 90% smaller ๐ฆ |
| Startup Time | 2-3s | <1s | 3x faster ๐ |
Benchmarks: MacBook Pro M1, 10,000 markdown files
Get help, share workflows, and connect with other users!
Stay Updated:
We welcome all contributions! Whether you're:
- ๐ Reporting bugs
- ๐ก Suggesting features
- ๐ป Contributing code
- ๐ Improving docs
- ๐จ Designing themes
- ๐ Building plugins
Quick Start for Contributors:
- โญ Star the repo
- ๐ด Fork it
- ๐ณ Use Dev Container (easiest) or manual setup
- ๐จ Make your changes
- โ
Run tests:
npm test - ๐ค Submit PR
See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guide.
New to the project? Start here:
Lokus is 100% free and open source, built by developers who believe in local-first software.
Support development and help us build features faster:
Your sponsorship helps:
- ๐ Faster feature development
- ๐ Quicker bug fixes
- ๐ฑ Mobile apps (coming Q1 2026)
- ๐ Better documentation
- ๐จ Professional design
- โก Infrastructure costs
100% transparent - All expenses visible on Open Collective.
- Bases - Database system
- MCP Server - AI integration (68+ tools)
- Quantum Architecture - 100x faster search
- Windows Support - Full cross-platform
- Plugin System v2 - VS Code-level extensibility
- Gmail Integration - OAuth 2.0
- ๐ฑ Mobile apps (iOS & Android via Tauri Mobile)
- ๐ Calendar view for Bases
- ๐งฎ Formula support (spreadsheet-like)
- ๐ PDF annotations
- ๐ Web clipper extension
- ๐ E2E encryption (optional)
- ๐ Obsidian plugin compatibility layer
- ๐ Multi-vault support
- ๐ค AI writing assistant
- ๐ค Export to PDF/DOCX with formatting
- โ๏ธ Workflow automation
Is Lokus compatible with Obsidian?
Yes! Lokus uses standard markdown files. Point it at your Obsidian vault and everything works (notes, links, attachments). No migration needed.
Is sync really free?
Yes! Use any cloud provider (Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, Syncthing). No vendor lock-in. Optional paid sync coming later.
Can I use Lokus offline?
100% yes! Lokus is local-first. Internet only needed for Gmail integration and optional future sync.
What about my privacy?
All data stays on your device. No telemetry, no tracking, no analytics. Optional cloud features use industry-standard security (OAuth 2.0).
When are mobile apps coming?
Q1 2026 for iOS and Android via Tauri Mobile. Track progress โ
Licensed under MIT License - Free to use, modify, and distribute.
Built with inspiration from:
- Obsidian - Pioneering local-first knowledge management
- Notion - Database views & UX
- TipTap - Amazing editor framework
- Tauri - Lightweight desktop apps
- Rust - Performance & safety
Special thanks to our contributors and the open source community! ๐
Made with โค๏ธ by developers who love note-taking
โญ Star this repo โข ๐ Report Bug โข ๐ก Request Feature โข ๐ฌ Join Discord
If you find Lokus useful, please star the repo! It helps others discover the project.