Summary

Deta Surf is an open-source, personal AI notebook for organizing files and webpages, designed to streamline research and synthesis. It targets users who juggle diverse media, offering a local-first, open-data approach to minimize manual data wrangling and enhance cognitive workflows through AI-powered note generation.

How It Works

Surf centralizes diverse media (local files, web links, etc.) into a private, local library using the Surf Flat File System (SFFS), which stores data in open formats. This library powers AI features within a Svelte/TypeScript/Rust desktop application. Users create "smart notes" that auto-generate content from library resources or web searches, complete with deeplinked citations, facilitating connected thinking.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Installation: Download pre-built binaries for MacOS, Windows, and Linux from GitHub releases. Source builds are detailed in CONTRIBUTING.md. A Deta website version offers managed features under different terms.
• Prerequisites: No specific hardware (e.g., GPU, CUDA) or software (e.g., Python version) prerequisites are listed for the core application.
• Links: Website, Discord, Contributing Guide.

Highlighted Details

• Multi-Media Library: Consolidates local files, web pages, YouTube, Tweets, etc., into a private, offline-accessible library using the SFFS open format.
• Smart Notes & Citations: AI-generated notes from any resource, featuring integrated, deeplinked citations to original sources (web sections, video timestamps, PDF pages).
• Surflets: A no-code tool for generating interactive applications for visualization and exploration.
• Flexible AI: Supports cloud LLMs via API keys or local language models.

Maintenance & Community

• Community: Active via Discord.
• Development: Built with Svelte, TypeScript, and Rust. Contribution details are available.

Licensing & Compatibility

• License: Primarily Apache 2.0. An exception applies to an @ghostery/adblocker-electron patch (MPL-2.0). Deta name/logos are trademarks.
• Compatibility: The open-source version operates independently of Deta servers. A separate Deta-server-integrated version exists under different terms, suggesting the open-source build is compatible with closed-source projects without strict copyleft obligations.

Limitations & Caveats

The README does not explicitly list limitations. However, the existence of a Deta website version with "managed & additional features (e.g. AI)" implies potential differences in feature completeness or setup complexity for advanced AI capabilities in the open-source build.