Quivr (39,386 Stars) 2026: Your AI Second Brain - RAG App for Files, Links and Notes

Quivr (39,386 stars) is the open-source RAG app that gives you a second brain - upload files and links, then chat with your knowledge. Here is the complete setup.

💡 What You Will Learn

Quivr (39,386 stars) is the open-source RAG app that gives you a second brain - upload files and links, then chat with your knowledge. Here is the complete setup.

📜 Table of Contents

• The short answer
• What Quivr does
• Run with Docker Compose
• Using your second brain
• Practical tips
• FAQ

The short answer

StanGirard/quivr (39,386 stars, Python) is an opinionated RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) app for integrating GenAI into your apps - and a ready-made second brain. You upload documents, PDFs, and URLs, and Quivr embeds them so you can ask questions and get answers grounded in your own knowledge.

What Quivr does

• Second brain: chat with your files, notes, and web links
• RAG API: expose your knowledge base to your own apps via API
• Multiple formats: PDF, TXT, Markdown, CSV, and web pages
• Self-hosted: your data stays on your infrastructure
• Modern stack: built with FastAPI and React, easy to extend

Run with Docker Compose

git clone https://github.com/StanGirard/quivr.git
cd quivr
cp .env.example .env   # add your LLM/embedding API keys
# backend
cd backend && pip install -r requirements.txt && alembic upgrade head
uvicorn main:app --reload --port 5050
# frontend
cd ../frontend && npm install && npm run dev

Or use the hosted version (quivr.app) to try it without setup.

Using your second brain

1. Create a brain (a knowledge base).
2. Upload files or add URLs - Quivr chunks and embeds them.
3. Chat: ask questions; answers cite your sources.
4. Share the brain with your team or expose it via API.

Practical tips

• Organize files into multiple brains (work, research, personal).
• Use the API to connect Quivr to Slack, Notion, or custom tools.
• Configure embedding model once; switching later requires re-indexing.

FAQ

Is it free? Yes - Apache-2.0 open source; cloud hosting is paid.

Do I need my own API keys? Yes - for self-hosting you supply the LLM and embedding keys.

Can it run fully local? Yes - point it at local models (Ollama) and local embeddings for a private setup.

❓ FAQ

Is it free?

Yes - Apache-2.0 open source; cloud hosting is paid.

Do I need my own API keys?

Yes - for self-hosting you supply the LLM and embedding keys.

Can it run fully local?

Yes - point it at local models (Ollama) and local embeddings for a private setup.