Self-hosted notes, built to last

Your notes need a steady foundation.

Keel brings writing, databases, boards, mind maps, wikilinks, and a workspace graph together without asking you to rent access to your own thinking.

Choose your install Read the source

No AI No telemetry No required cloud

keel / field-notes

Thursday, August 13

Launch checklist

A quiet place for every decision, task, link, and idea that needs to survive the week.

Confirm release checksDone

Publish install guideToday

Test encrypted backupNext

Review [[launch notes]]Linked

37 connected pagesWorkspace graph

Backup verifiedEncrypted snapshot

1 workspace fileSQLite by default

5 database viewsTable to mind map

0 trackersNo product telemetry

Many ways to runDesktop, server, Docker

A toolbox, not a trap

Enough structure to think clearly.

Keel is for people who want the reach of a modern workspace and the understandable ownership model of a file on a machine they chose.

Write without rearranging your brain

Blocks, Markdown shortcuts, tasks, code, images, focus mode, split view, and continuous reading live in one calm editor.

Connect what matters

Use wikilinks, backlinks, tags, daily notes, and a stable graph to find the path between ideas.

Shape work five ways

Switch the same records between table, list, kanban, timeline, and mind-map views without duplicating the data.

Move when you want

Export the complete workspace, restore it elsewhere, or move a local install into Docker. Your deployment is a choice, not a sentence.

Ownership with honest edges

You choose where the notebook lives.

Run Keel on one computer, a home server, or a VPS. Keep it private over Tailscale or place it behind your own HTTPS domain. Optional cloud services are for backups and imports, never a requirement to open the app.

See how storage works

Plain storage model

SQLite is the default. PostgreSQL is available for managed hosts. The app tells you which one you are using.

Backups you can test

Create snapshots, add a passphrase for encryption, and copy them to a folder or an optional storage provider.

No silent promises

The live database is not application-encrypted. Use disk encryption when you need storage-at-rest protection.

Pick your route

Start simple. Move later.

Every route leads to the same application. The data can move with you when your setup changes.

Easiest

Desktop

Download the Windows or Linux app, open it, and let Keel keep its server and data in your user profile.

Desktop instructions

Private everywhere

Home server

Run Keel on a small always-on machine and reach it over Tailscale with HTTPS and no public port.

Home server guide

Always available

Docker or VPS

Use a persistent volume, health checks, access lockdown, HTTPS, and the backup destination you choose.

Server guide

Put your notes on something solid.

Keel 1.2.1 is available for Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker, and self-hosted servers.

Install Keel