The never-ending quest for the perfect note-taking app!
I've tried my fair share of note-taking apps, and I've even written about some of them before. You can check out my previous articles on Finding the Best Note-Taking App That Supports Markdown, Upnote, and Obsidian.
But I'm always on the lookout for something better. Lately, I've been enjoying Notion, mainly because of its AI capabilities. I love the generative AI and AI query features.
This week, I stumbled upon a new app called Reor. Reor is not just another note-taking app. It aims to be a private and local AI personal knowledge management tool. Think of it as a note-taking app that you can query using natural language, thanks to AI.
The best part? It's free, unlike Notion AI, which requires a paid subscription. Here are some of Reor's key features:
- Automatic linking: Reor links your notes to other relevant notes in the Related Notes Sidebar using vector similarity. This means that you can easily find related notes without having to manually create links.
- Custom linking: You can create your own links using brackets, just like in Obsidian.
- Chat with your notes: Ask your entire set of notes anything you want to know using the local LLM of your choice.
- AI Flashcards: Generate flashcards for any note.
- AI writing assistant: Similar to Notion's AI feature.
What sets Reor apart from other note-taking apps is its focus on local models. Unlike many AI-powered apps that rely on cloud-based services like OpenAI, Reor is designed to run well with local LLMs (Large Language Models) on your device, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience. This means that your data stays private and secure, and you don't have to worry about relying on a third-party service.
Reor's creator wanted to build an app that prioritizes local models because they believe that AI should be used to enhance our personal knowledge management, not control it. By running models locally, Reor ensures that you have full control over your data and can use the app even when you're offline.
I have to say that I'm impressed by Reor's approach. I've used Obsidian before, and while it's a great app, its AI plugin feels like an afterthought. Reor, on the other hand, is designed with local LLMs in mind, making it a more seamless and integrated experience.
Getting Reor and Ollama
You can download Reor from its website at https://www.reorproject.org/downloads.
To use a local LLM, download Ollama from https://ollama.com/download.
Both Ollama and Reor are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Install Ollama on MacOS
To access a local LLM, you can use Ollama. It's a pretty handy tool that helps you tap into the power of a large language model right on your own device.
Option 1: Install using the Official Ollama Installer
- Head over to the Ollama website and download the MacOS installer from the releases page.
- Open the downloaded
.dmgfile and follow the installation prompts.
- Drag the Ollama icon to the Applications folder.
Option 2: Install using Homebrew
If you have Homebrew installed, you can install Ollama using the following command:
Installing a LLM
After installing Ollama, install a LLM. To install Ollama 3.2, the latest model at the time of this article.
Install Reor
Download the installer and run it to install it.
Ready to get started? First, download the installer. It's a breeze - just click and save it to your device.
Next up, run the installer. It'll take care of the rest, guiding you through the quick and easy installation process. Easy peasy!
Setup Reor
First things first - you need to get Reor talking to Ollama. Head into Reor's settings and configure it to use the local LLM you've installed on Ollama. Easy peasy!
Next, Reor will have a chat with Ollama to get a list of all the installed LLMs. You'll then get to pick the one you want to use. Nice and simple!
In my case, I'm using Llama 3.2, which works like a charm on my trusty 1st-gen MacBook Pro Max. Give it a try and see what works best for you!
Limitations
One thing you won't find in Reor - at least, not yet - is the option to add images to your notes.
Now, before you start thinking that's a major oversight, it's worth noting that this feature is already on the roadmap.
The devs are planning to add it in soon, so while Reor might not be the best choice for image-heavy note-taking just yet, it's definitely one to keep an eye on for the future.
Reor's still a work in progress, and that means you might stumble upon a few bugs here and there.
For instance, sometimes moving notes around can get a little messy - you might end up with a duplicate, empty file. Not the end of the world, but still a bit annoying.
Another quirk to watch out for: when you create a new note, it'll always show up at the top level, even if you've got a folder selected. Hopefully, these little wrinkles will get ironed out soon!
Final Words
Reor's already proving to be super useful, and one of its standout features is the ability to tap into a local LLM via Ollama.
What does that mean for you? Well, it's a total game-changer when you're traveling. No internet connection? No problem! You can still use a LLM to get stuff done.
But what really gets me excited is being able to chat with my notes using AI. It's like having a conversation with my own personal knowledge base! This is exactly what I've been searching for.
And the best part? The devs are just getting started. I'm seriously looking forward to seeing what's next - adding images and more agents are just a couple of the features on the horizon.
