Introduction
When it comes to self-hosted software, there are many that I wouldn’t find real use for and even more that I wouldn’t find real benefit in running. Karakeep, formerly Hoarder, is a solution I thought, specifically for myself, would have both of those pitfalls. It turned out to be quite the opposite. It rocks! Karakeep is a “bookmark everything app” that functions as a dumping grounds for links, images, or text you want to save for later. You can utilize AI tagging to dynamically sort whatever content you put into the application.
An application or website that shares Karakeep’s purpose raises some digital privacy red flags. An inspiration board, a save-for-later dump, and overall content interest gatherer seem like the kind of thing that advertisers and big-data would love to have access to. So while Karakeep’s service is pretty straight-forward, I believe it is essential to be privately hosted.
The setup for Karakeep is simple, its layout is intuitive for its function, and its function is as good as advertised.
Simple setup
It’s essential these days for a self-hosted software to have its own pre-canned docker-compose setup. The ease of use is unmatched. Karakeep is no different in steering its deployment via Docker. You can set it up in four commands if you don’t implement AI tagging, although you definitely should! What more specifically caught my attention was the ease of setup on the user side. Once the site is up and running, connecting to it and getting started feels like using any other social media sign up.
Intuitive layout
The overall UI of Karakeep is stellar. There are view options to choose from if the default doesn’t suit you, or if you’re more familiar with other layouts. There is nothing overtly flashy or complex about the menu bars, which is great for the simple task that this application achieves. The image previews show just the right amount of information without being overbearing.
Function as good as advertised
Karakeep’s simple setup pairs well with how easy it is to start using it. Once your account is created, you can immediately start taking advantage of the site and bookmark away. This near zero-touch implementation can absolutely be a permanent usecase for Karakeep, however, the app has depth in all of the right places to make it work even better.
The AI tagging in Karakeep is the first step you should take to really explore the capabilities of this product. That, paired with rules that dynamically group content based on those tags, makes for some seamless automation to better sift through whatever you’re bookmarking.
I’m not highlighting a lot of other features here. I’ve only scratched the surface and I’m quite happy with it! Check out everything Karakeep has to offer from their docs here if you’re interested in learning more.
Karakeep, formerly Hoarder, does what it aims to do excellently, securely, and conveniently. If you’re getting into self-hosting, or simply trying to find something new to spin up, I’d strongly recommend it! It is as useful as you make it.