#5555th of 55 in Desktop AI appsFor science, health and research, research and papers
surf
Desktop AI notebook that combines local files, web pages and notes
- Stars
- 3.6k
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Last commit
- May 2026
- Last release
- Apr 2026
- Language
- TypeScript
3,281 on 22 Apr 20263,643 on 11 Nov 2026
From GitHub's daily star counts.
Checked on GitHub.
Overview
Surf is an Electron desktop app (Svelte, TypeScript, Rust) for MacOS, Windows and Linux. It keeps a local library of files, links, YouTube videos and PDFs in an open format (SFFS), and generates notes from @-mentioned tabs or resources with citations linked to the source. It can also run web searches and generate small interactive apps called Surflets, using your own API key, a cloud model or a local model.
Who it is for: Researchers and note-takers wanting a local-first AI notebook on desktop
Strengths
- Library stored locally in open formats (SFFS), partly usable offline
- Citations link to a webpage section, video timestamp or PDF page
- Accepts bring-your-own-key, cloud or local language models
- Runs on MacOS, Windows and Linux under Apache-2.0
Weaknesses
- Desktop Electron app only; no Docker or server deployment for multi-user use
- Deta name and logos are excluded from the Apache-2.0 license
- Supported models and local runtimes are only documented on a linked page
- README gives no sandboxing details for generated Surflet apps
What it needs
- Models: bring-your-own API key, cloud models, local language models
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