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Why Self-Host ThinkEx?

Self-hosting ThinkEx gives you complete control over your visual thinking environment:
  • Full Data Control: Your notes, PDFs, conversations, and insights remain on your infrastructure
  • Privacy First: No external data processing - everything stays local
  • Customization: Modify and extend ThinkEx to fit your workflow
  • No Vendor Lock-in: Run on your own hardware with your choice of AI models
  • Open Source Freedom: Inspect, audit, and modify the codebase (AGPL-3.0 License)

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What’s Included

ThinkEx is a complete self-hosted visual thinking environment built with:

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Technology Stack

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Core Features

Spatial Canvas

Arrange notes, PDFs, videos, and AI chats side-by-side on an infinite canvas

User-Controlled Context

Manually select exact cards, notes, or document sections for AI analysis

First-Class Media

Native PDF viewing with highlights and YouTube videos with transcript context

Multi-Model AI

Switch between AI models per task without provider lock-in

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Deployment Options

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Local Development

  • PostgreSQL: Run in Docker container (recommended) or use local installation
  • Next.js App: Runs locally with hot reload for development
  • Storage: Local filesystem (./uploads/) or Supabase cloud storage
  • Perfect for: Development, testing, and single-user setups

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Production Self-Hosting

  • Database: PostgreSQL with persistent volumes
  • Application: Next.js app in production mode
  • Storage: Local storage or Supabase for distributed deployments
  • Scaling: Supports horizontal scaling for multiple users
The setup script (setup.sh) is optimized for local development using Docker for PostgreSQL and running the Next.js app locally for hot reload.

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Prerequisites

Before installing ThinkEx, ensure you have:

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Required Software

  • Node.js v20 or higher
  • pnpm (installed automatically if missing)
  • Docker (recommended for PostgreSQL) OR PostgreSQL v12+ installed locally

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Required API Keys

Required for AI model access. Get your free API key from Google AI Studio.Environment variable: GOOGLE_GENERATIVE_AI_API_KEY
Required for the assistant interface. Get credentials from Assistant Cloud.Environment variables:
  • NEXT_PUBLIC_ASSISTANT_BASE_URL
  • ASSISTANT_API_KEY

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Optional API Keys

Optional for OAuth login support. Get credentials from Google Cloud Console.Environment variables:
  • GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID
  • GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET
Optional cloud storage alternative to local filesystem. Get credentials from Supabase.Environment variables:
  • NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL
  • NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_PUBLISHABLE_OR_ANON_KEY
  • SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY

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Next Steps

Installation

Follow the step-by-step installation guide

Configuration

Configure environment variables and settings

Storage Setup

Choose between local and Supabase storage

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