Docs: open source collaborative notes and document management tools

General Introduction

Docs is an open source collaborative note-taking and document management platform developed by the suitenumerique team. It uses Django and React Built with technology, the goal is to provide an easy-to-use tool that helps users take notes, manage documents and share knowledge. This platform supports multi-person real-time collaboration and is suitable for team use. Its design is inspired by Notion Docs is a free and open source application that users can deploy themselves, but it offers basic document editing functionality, as well as useful features such as offline synchronization and file export. It provides basic document editing functionality, as well as some useful features such as offline synchronization and file export. docs is at the core of making knowledge management more efficient, and is still being continuously updated and is expected to be officially released in February 2025 .

Function List

• Real-time collaborative editing: Multiple people editing on the same document at the same time, with changes synchronized in real time.
• offline synchronization: You can write notes without an internet connection, and they are automatically synchronized when you are connected to the internet.
• simple format: Supports basic typesetting without complex Markdown syntax.
• Document Export: Documents can be exported to PDF, Word, and other formats.
• AI Aids: Provides functions for generating text, summarizing content, translating, and more.
• Rights Management: Control who can view or edit documents to safeguard privacy.
• Built-in Wiki: Organize the team's notes into a knowledge base.
• Multi-language support: Translation support through the Crowdin platform for global users.

Using Help

Docs is a tool that needs to be deployed locally or on a server, and there is no readily available online version. Here is a detailed installation and usage guide to get you started quickly.

Installation process

Docs requires Docker and Docker Compose to run, so make sure you have them installed on your computer first. The official recommended versions are Docker 20.10.2 and Docker Compose 2.32.4. You can check the versions with the following commands:

docker -v
docker compose version

If you don't have it installed, you can go to the official Docker website to download and install it. After installing, add your user to the Docker group so that you don't have to type in sudo up. The order is:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Then restart your computer to take effect.

Next, download the Docs code. Open a terminal and type:

git clone https://github.com/suitenumerique/docs.git
cd docs

Once the code is downloaded, go to docs folder to start building the project. Run the following command:

docker compose up --build

This command will automatically download the dependencies, create the database and start the service. You may have to wait a few minutes for the first run. If you see the terminal showing that the service started successfully, the installation is complete.

Docs run at the local address by default http://localhost:3000.. Open your browser and enter this address to access it. If you want to log in with a test account, an official e-mail address is provided test.docs@yopmail.com and passwords I'd<3ToTestDocsThe

Main Functions

Creating and editing documents

After logging in, click the "New Document" button on the page, Docs will open a blank page, you can directly enter text. The editing interface is very simple and supports basic formatting such as bold, italic, title, etc. When editing with multiple users, you will see other people's cursors and changes displayed in real time. When you are editing with multiple users, you will see the cursor and changes made by other users in real time.

offline synchronization

If the network is down, Docs will automatically save your changes locally. Once the network is restored, click the "Synchronize" button in the upper right corner and the changes will be uploaded to the server. There is no need to set up any additional settings, the system will handle it automatically.

Exporting Documents

When you are finished writing your document, click the "Export" option in the upper right corner. .pdf,.doc maybe .odt Format. After selecting the format, click "Download" and the file will be saved to your computer.

AI Aids

Docs has some built-in AI features, such as generating text or translating it. Select a piece of text, click the AI icon in the toolbar, and choose "Generate" or "Translate". For example, if you type "Write an introduction", AI will automatically generate the content. If you want to translate, select the target language and the AI will translate the text. These features require an internet connection.

Setting Up Permissions

Want to control who can see or change a document? On the document page, click the "Share" button. docs allows you to set three permissions: read-only, editable, and invisible. Enter the e-mail address of the collaborator, select the permissions, and click "Confirm". Once the permissions are set, only invited people can access the document.

Building a Wiki

Docs allows you to organize your documents into wikis by clicking on the "Wiki" option in the left menu and selecting "New Wiki". Drag in existing documents or write new content directly into the wiki. When you're done, team members will be able to view the knowledge base through the wiki.

caveat

• Docs uses Minio as a storage service by default. If you want to use other S3 storage (e.g. AWS), you need to change the configuration file. See the official installation.md Documentation.
• Local runs are for testing purposes only and cannot be used directly in production environments. Production deployment requires additional configuration, such as setting up HTTPS.

With these steps, you can easily install and use Docs, which is still a work in progress but already meets basic note and document management needs.

application scenario

1. Team Project Management
   Team members use Docs to record project progress and update task status in real time. Everyone can see the latest content and avoid information desynchronization.
2. Personal knowledge organization
   Students or researchers use Docs to take notes and organize information. Export function is supported, which makes it easy to turn notes into essays or reports.
3. Telecommuting
   Distributed teams use Docs to write documents and set permissions so that only the relevant people can see sensitive content, securely and efficiently.

QA

1. Are Docs free?
   Yes, Docs is completely open source and the code is released under the MIT license. Anyone can download and use it for free.
2. Do I need programming knowledge to use it?
   Not required. Regular users can use the basic features of Docs by following the installation steps. Those who know how to program can change the code to add features themselves.
3. Does it support mobile?
   Docs is currently available on the web and in mobile browsers, but there's no dedicated mobile app, which may be developed in the future.