Shaarli
Shaarli is the original personal, minimalist, super-fast, database-free bookmarking service. Created by Sébastien Sauvage and now maintained by an active community, Shaarli stores all bookmarks in a simple text file — no database required. It’s designed for single users who want a lightweight, self-hosted way to save, tag, and share links without any infrastructure overhead.
Key Features
- Database-free — Stores bookmarks in a flat text file (datastore.php), no MySQL or PostgreSQL needed
- Tagging system — Organise bookmarks with tags, including tag autocomplete and tag cloud visualisation
- Full-text search — Search through bookmark titles, descriptions, URLs, and tags instantly
- REST API — Full API for integration with third-party tools and automation
- RSS and ATOM feeds — Publish and subscribe to bookmark feeds by tag or globally
- Sharing services — One-click sharing to Twitter, Facebook, Mastodon, Diaspora, and more
- Private and public — Mark bookmarks as private or public, with per-bookmark visibility control
- Import and export — Import from browser bookmarks, Pocket, Delicious, and other services (Netscape HTML format)
Why Use Shaarli?
Shaarli is the lightest-weight option for self-hosted bookmarking. It runs on any PHP-capable web server with zero setup beyond copying files — no databases, no background workers, no Docker required. Despite its simplicity, it offers a full REST API, RSS feeds, and community plugins that extend its functionality significantly.
Use Cases
- Minimal server setups — Run on a shared hosting plan or Raspberry Pi with minimal resources
- Link sharing — Publish public bookmarks as a personal link blog or curated resource list
- Archivists — Keep a lightweight, searchable archive of links without heavy infrastructure
- Privacy advocates — Full control with no external dependencies, tracking, or third-party services
Platform
Linux · macOS · Windows · Docker
Licence
zlib/libpng (Free Software)