Self-hosted bookmark managers: The privacy-focused way to save your links
Stacks Admin
Sep 15, 2023
Your bookmark data is valuable. It's a treasure trove of information about your interests, habits, and work. That's why it's important to choose a bookmark manager that respects your privacy.
Cloud-based bookmark managers are convenient, but they come with a trade-off: your data is stored on someone else's servers. This means that the company that owns the bookmark manager has access to your data, and they can do whatever they want with it (technically).
Self-hosted bookmark managers are the privacy-focused alternative. With a self-hosted bookmark manager, your data is stored on your own servers, so you're in complete control of who has access to it.
Pros of using a self-hosted bookmark manager:
- Privacy: Your data is stored on your own servers, so you're in complete control of who has access to it.
- Security: You can implement your own security measures to protect your bookmark data from unauthorized access.
- Flexibility: Self-hosted bookmark managers are often more flexible than cloud-based bookmark managers, offering a wider range of features and customization options.
- Control: You have complete control over your bookmark data, including who can access it and how it is used.
Cons of using a self-hosted bookmark manager:
- Setup and maintenance: Self-hosted bookmark managers require some setup and maintenance on your part. You will need to install and configure the software, and you will need to keep it up to date with security patches.
- Complexity: Some self-hosted bookmark managers can be complex to use, especially for beginners.
- Limited features: Some self-hosted bookmark managers may not offer all of the features that you need.
- No support: If you have any problems with your self-hosted bookmark manager, you may not have access to support from the developers.
If you're looking for a bookmark manager that respects your privacy and gives you complete control over your data, then a self-hosted bookmark manager is the way to go. There are many to choose from:
1. Espial: open-source, web-based bookmarking server
2. Buku: Personal mini-web in text
3. BKMR: Ultrafast Bookmark Manager and Launcher
4. Linkding: Self-hosted bookmark manager that is designed be to be minimal, fast, and easy to set up using Docker.
5. LinkAce: A self-hosted archive to collect links of your favorite websites. Save articles to read them later, tools to use them in your next project, or historic content to archive it for the long term. LinkAce comes with a lot of features while keeping a clean and minimal interface.
6. Linkwarden: Collect, Organize, and Preserve Webpages Featuring Seamless Collaboration
7. Shaarli: The personal, minimalist, super-fast, database free, bookmarking service
8. Shiori: Simple bookmark manager built with Go
Conclusion
Self-hosted bookmark managers offer a number of advantages over cloud-based bookmark managers, but they also require some setup and maintenance on your part. If you are willing to put in the effort, self-hosted bookmark managers can be a great way to take control of your bookmark data and keep it private.
Which self-hosted bookmark manager is right for you?
The best self-hosted bookmark manager for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. Some factors to consider include:
- Features: What features are important to you? Some self-hosted bookmark managers offer more features than others.
- Ease of use: How easy is the self-hosted bookmark manager to use? Some self-hosted bookmark managers can be complex to use, especially for beginners.
- Security: How secure is the self-hosted bookmark manager? Some self-hosted bookmark managers implement more security measures than others.
- Support: Does the self-hosted bookmark manager offer support from the developers?
Here are a few self-hosted bookmark managers that we recommend:
LinkAce: LinkAce is a self-hosted bookmark manager that is designed to be minimal, fast, and easy to set up using Docker. It offers a wide range of features, including tags, folders, notes, and search. It also has a Chrome extension and a mobile app.
Linkwarden: Linkwarden is another great self-hosted bookmark manager. It offers a wide range of features, including tags, folders, notes, search, and collaboration. It also has a Chrome extension and a mobile app.
If you're interested in trying out a self-hosted bookmark manager, I recommend starting with LinkAce or Linkwarden. They are both well-maintained and offer a good balance of features and ease of use.