Key Takeaways
- Surf is free and open-source under Apache License 2.0, with a bundled adblocker patch under MPL-2.0 and a few files carrying their own license headers
- Organizes local files, PDFs, and web content (including YouTube videos and social posts) into a searchable local library called Notebooks
- Generates "Smart Notes" β AI-written notes with citations deep-linked back to the original file, webpage section, or video timestamp
- Model choice is yours: bring your own OpenAI or Anthropic API key, or add a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint, which is how a locally-run model (e.g. via Ollama) gets connected
- Ships "Surflets," a code-free way to generate small interactive applets from within a note
- Available on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows, and Linux, as direct downloads from GitHub Releases
- Open-source builds are currently unsigned, so macOS and Windows show a security warning on first launch β documented and expected, not a red flag
- Developed by Deta; this open-source release replaces an earlier closed-source "managed Surf" product that bundled AI, code signing, and auto-updates
π In One Sentence
Surf is Deta's free, open-source desktop app that organizes files, PDFs, and webpages into a local library and generates AI notes from them, with a free choice between cloud and locally-run models.
π¬ In Plain Terms
Instead of switching between a document viewer, a browser, and a chat app, Surf lets you drop files and web links into one local library and ask AI questions across all of it. You choose which AI answers: your own OpenAI or Anthropic key, or a model running on your own machine through something like Ollama.
πNote: This review is the deep-dive companion to Surf's entry in the Local LLM Software Directory β see that page for how Surf compares at a glance to dozens of other local AI tools.
πNote: This review covers github.com/deta/surf, the Deta-team "Personal AI Notebook" app. It is unrelated to steel-dev/surf.new, a separate browser-automation project with a similar name β do not confuse the two when searching.
What Is Surf?
Surf is a desktop application for organizing your files, PDFs, and webpages into one local library, and generating AI-written notes from that library. Its own GitHub description calls it "Personal AI Notebooks. Organize files & webpages and generate notes from them. Open source, local & open data, open model choice (incl. local)." The app is built primarily in Svelte, TypeScript, and Rust, and ships as an Electron-based desktop application, per its GitHub topics and README acknowledgements.
- Core function: a local library ("Notebooks") that holds files, PDFs, and saved webpages, plus an AI note-writing layer that can reference anything in that library
- Storage: a local, open-format storage engine called SFFS (Surf Flat File System) β Deta's documentation states data stays on your device in transparent, non-proprietary formats
- Model layer: no bundled local inference engine β Surf connects to models you configure, either a cloud provider via your own API key or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, including a locally-run server
- Developer: Deta, the same team previously known for Deta Space and Deta Drive; GitHub lists the organization as "deta"
- Canonical repository: github.com/deta/surf β the current, actively maintained home of Surf's open-source source code, releases, and issue tracker
Surf's Project History and Version Milestones
Surf's GitHub repository was created on October 20, 2025. The first tagged release followed two days later, and the project has shipped frequent point releases since β all still tagged with a -beta.0 suffix even as the app is distributed as Deta's primary public release channel.
- 11.1.0-beta.0 β October 22, 2025: First tagged release
Why it matters: The earliest version tag on the open-source repository, two days after the repo itself was created. - 21.3.0-beta.0 β November 5, 2025: Notebook editor and intent-classification fixes
Why it matters: Per the official release notes, added the ability to view and cancel a notebook editor on creation, and fixed cases where Surf misclassified what a user was asking it to do. - 31.4.0-beta.0 β November 20, 2025: Redesigned Notebook contents view
Why it matters: Added search and lazy-loading of resources inside a Notebook, a performance-focused rework of how large libraries load, per the official changelog. - 41.4.7-beta.0 β April 29, 2026: Most recent tagged release
Why it matters: The latest version tag found on the [official GitHub Releases page](https://github.com/deta/surf/releases) as of this review β check that page directly for anything shipped after this review's publish date, since the repository continues to receive commits between tagged releases.
What Can You Do With Surf?
Surf's feature set centers on pulling files, PDFs, and web content into one local library, then using AI to write notes, answer questions, and build small tools from that library. Here is what each part actually does, per Surf's own GitHub README and documentation.
- Multi-media library ("Notebooks") β save local files, PDFs, webpages, YouTube videos, and social posts into a private, local library, organized into Notebooks, most of which remain usable offline once saved
- Smart Notes β write notes that
@-mentionany saved resource or open tab, trigger a web search from inside a note, and get citations that deep-link back to the original source, a specific webpage section, or a video timestamp - Surflets (app generation) β generate small, interactive applets from within a note without writing code, for visualizing or exploring data
- Tabs, split view, and sidebar β open local notes, files, or webpages in tabs, view multiple resources side by side, and navigate Notebooks from a persistent sidebar
- Model choice β bring your own API key for OpenAI or Anthropic, or add any OpenAI-compatible model endpoint as a custom model, which is how a locally-run server (Ollama and similar) gets connected
- Open, local data β the SFFS storage engine keeps your library on-device in open formats, and Deta's documentation states most of the library remains accessible offline
Usage Examples: Three Ways to Use Surf
These are concrete workflows built from Surf's documented features above β not hypothetical use cases.
Download Surf for macOS, Windows, and Linux
Surf is available on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows, and Linux, as a direct download from GitHub Releases. Links below point to the latest-release redirect on GitHub, per the official installation guide β always verify the exact filename against the Releases page, since it changes with each version number.
Platform | Download |
|---|---|
| macOS (Apple Silicon) | Surf-x.y.z.arm64.dmg |
| macOS (Intel) | Surf-x.y.z.x64.dmg |
| Windows (x64) | Surf-x.y.z-setup.exe |
| Linux (x64 AppImage) | Surf-x.y.z.x86_64.AppImage |
Open-source builds of Surf are not currently code-signed, so macOS will warn that "Surf can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software" (right-click the app and choose Open once to bypass), and Windows Defender may show a "Windows protected your PC" prompt (choose "More info," then "Run anyway"). Both warnings are documented in the official install guide and are expected for an unsigned open-source release, not a sign of a compromised download β always download from the official GitHub Releases page directly.
Surf Pricing: Is Surf Really Free?
Yes β the open-source Surf release has no paid tier. The application code is licensed under Apache License 2.0, with two documented exceptions: a patch for the @ghostery/adblocker-electron package is licensed under Mozilla Public License 2.0 to stay consistent with that package's own upstream license, and a small number of individual files may carry their own license headers that override the default. The Deta name and logos are explicitly excluded from the Apache 2.0 grant, per the README's License section.
- No subscription, no paid tier, and no usage limits imposed by Surf itself for the open-source app
- No account or sign-up required to install and run the app
- Using a cloud model (OpenAI, Anthropic) through Surf still costs whatever that provider charges for API usage β Surf does not add a markup
- Running a local model through a custom endpoint (e.g. Ollama) has no per-token cost, only your own hardware and electricity
Local Model Support: What "Hybrid" Actually Means
Surf's local-model support is real, but it works differently from an app like Jan or GPT4All that ships its own built-in inference engine. Surf has no bundled engine at all β every model, local or cloud, is connected the same way: as an OpenAI-compatible endpoint you configure in Preferences β AI.
Built-in local engine
- What Surf does:
- None β Surf does not run inference in-process
Cloud models
- What Surf does:
- Bring your own OpenAI or Anthropic API key, configured under Preferences β AI
Local models
- What Surf does:
- Add a custom model pointing at any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, e.g. a local Ollama server at
http://localhost:11434/v1
Data storage
- What Surf does:
- Always local, regardless of which model you connect β your library (SFFS) stays on-device either way
This distinction matters for anyone choosing Surf specifically for offline use: installing Surf alone does not give you a working local model out of the box. You need to separately install and run a local model server (Ollama is the most common choice) and then point Surf at it. Once connected, your notes and chat requests to that model never leave your machine β but the setup step is on you, not automatic.
Who Should Use Surf?
Whether Surf fits depends on whether "one local library across files, PDFs, and the web, with AI notes on top" is the workflow you actually want, and whether you are comfortable connecting your own model.
Surf vs. Other Self-Hosted Notes and Knowledge Apps
Surf is one of several self-hosted tools that combine personal knowledge management with AI, storing data locally and letting you choose your model. Here is how it sits next to other options in that space β see the Local LLM Software Directory for the full catalog.
- Karakeep β a self-hosted bookmark manager with AI auto-tagging; narrower in scope than Surf (bookmarks specifically, not a general file/PDF/web library) but a good fit if bookmark organization is your main need. See the Karakeep review.
- Blinko β a self-hosted AI notes app with RAG search over your own notes; closer to Surf's "AI over your own content" idea, but built around notes rather than a mixed files/PDF/web library. See the Blinko review.
- Khoj β a self-hosted "second brain" that indexes your documents, notes, and (optionally) online content for AI search and chat; a comparable breadth of source types to Surf, with a different UI model (chat-first rather than notebook-first). See the Khoj review.
Common Mistakes When Evaluating Surf
Most confusion about Surf comes from its name, its relationship to an earlier Deta product, or assuming it ships a built-in local model the way some competitors do.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Surf?
Surf (deta.surf, source at github.com/deta/surf) is a free, open-source desktop app from Deta that organizes your files, PDFs, and webpages into a local library and generates AI-written notes from them.
Is Surf free?
Yes, the open-source release is free. It is licensed under Apache License 2.0 (with a small MPL-2.0-licensed adblocker patch and a few files under their own headers), with no paid tier. Using a cloud model you connect through your own API key costs whatever that provider charges β Surf itself does not add a fee.
Does Surf run AI models locally?
Surf can use a locally-run model, but it does not bundle its own inference engine. You connect a local model by adding a custom, OpenAI-compatible endpoint (for example, a local Ollama server) in Preferences β AI β the setup step is on you, not automatic.
What license does Surf use?
Apache License 2.0 for the core codebase, per the GitHub LICENSE file. Two exceptions are documented in the README: a patch for the bundled adblocker package is under Mozilla Public License 2.0, and select individual files may carry their own license headers. The Deta name and logos are explicitly not covered by the Apache 2.0 grant.
What platforms does Surf support?
macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel builds), Windows, and Linux (x64 AppImage), all as direct downloads from GitHub Releases.
Is this the same Surf as steel-dev/surf.new?
No. This review covers github.com/deta/surf, the Deta-team personal AI notebook. steel-dev/surf.new is a separate, unrelated browser-automation project that happens to share the name β verify the GitHub organization before downloading either.
Why does my computer show a security warning when I open Surf?
The open-source builds are not currently code-signed, so macOS and Windows both show standard unsigned-app warnings on first launch. This is documented in Surf's own install guide as expected behavior, not a sign of a compromised download.
How is Surf different from the earlier "managed Surf" product?
Deta previously distributed a closed-source, code-signed "managed Surf" with built-in AI, automatic updates, and browser extensions. The current github.com/deta/surf release is the open-source successor; per the install guide, your data carries over if you migrate, but it is a different codebase and build.
Who develops Surf?
Surf is developed by Deta. GitHub lists the hosting organization as "deta," the same team previously known for products like Deta Space and Deta Drive.
When was Surf first released?
Surf's GitHub repository was created on October 20, 2025, with the first tagged release (1.1.0-beta.0) following on October 22, 2025. The most recent tagged release this review could verify is 1.4.7-beta.0 (April 29, 2026) β check the official Releases page for anything shipped since.