Where to Find Open-Notebook Documentation: Complete Guide to the Official Docs

Where to Find Open-Notebook Documentation: Complete Guide to the Official Docs

TLDR: Open-notebook documentation is stored in the docs/ folder at the repository root, with docs/index.md serving as the master table of contents that links to installation guides, API references, and troubleshooting resources.

The open-notebook project maintains comprehensive, self-contained documentation directly within the repository. Whether you are deploying your first instance via Docker or extending the REST API, the Markdown-based documentation provides structured guidance covering everything from quick-start tutorials to deep-dive development topics.

Main Documentation Entry Points

The primary gateway to open-notebook documentation is the docs/index.md file, which functions as the master table of contents. This file organizes content into logical sections including Start Here, Installation, Core Concepts, User Guide, and Development. Additionally, the repository's README.md links directly to the most critical starting points, specifically directing new users to docs/0-START-HERE/index.md for initial setup guidance.

Navigating the Documentation Structure

The documentation follows a numbered folder structure that progresses from basic setup to advanced configuration. Each section is designed to guide users through specific aspects of the platform.

Getting Started (docs/0-START-HERE/)

New users should begin with docs/0-START-HERE/index.md, which explains three distinct quick-start paths: OpenAI integration, other cloud providers, or local Ollama deployment. This section walks through creating your first notebook and understanding the basic UI workflow for research management.

Installation Guides (docs/1-INSTALLATION/)

The docs/1-INSTALLATION/ directory contains detailed deployment instructions covering Docker Compose setups, local builds, and single-container deployments. These files provide environment-specific commands and prerequisites for running the full application stack.

Core Concepts (docs/2-CORE-CONCEPTS/)

Architecture and data model documentation resides in docs/2-CORE-CONCEPTS/. This section explains the relationships between notebooks, sources, and notes, details the RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipeline implementation, and clarifies the distinction between chat interfaces and transformation workflows.

User Guide (docs/3-USER-GUIDE/)

Practical usage tutorials for daily operations are located in docs/3-USER-GUIDE/. Topics include adding sources to notebooks, creating structured notes, executing semantic searches, and generating podcasts from your research materials.

AI Provider Configuration (docs/4-AI-PROVIDERS/)

Provider-specific setup instructions for LLM integrations live in docs/4-AI-PROVIDERS/. This section includes configuration examples for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Ollama, Azure, and other supported providers.

Configuration and Troubleshooting (docs/5-CONFIGURATION/ and docs/6-TROUBLESHOOTING/)

Environment variables and server settings are documented in docs/5-CONFIGURATION/, while docs/6-TROUBLESHOOTING/ compiles common deployment issues, error messages, and quick fixes for connectivity or model-related problems.

Development Resources (docs/7-DEVELOPMENT/)

For contributors and advanced users, docs/7-DEVELOPMENT/ contains architecture diagrams, contribution guidelines, and the complete API reference. The file docs/7-DEVELOPMENT/api-reference.md documents REST endpoints used for programmatic notebook operations.

Accessing the Live API Documentation

Beyond static Markdown files, open-notebook serves interactive API documentation via FastAPI's built-in Swagger UI. When running locally, you can access the OpenAPI schema and test endpoints directly.

To fetch the raw API schema:

curl -s http://localhost:5055/openapi.json | jq .

The Swagger UI is available at http://localhost:5055/docs as implemented in api/main.py, which serves as the FastAPI entry point for the REST API.

Common API operations documented in the user guide include creating notebooks and managing sources:

curl -X POST http://localhost:5055/notebooks \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"title":"My Research Notebook"}'

To add a PDF source to an existing notebook:

curl -X POST http://localhost:5055/sources \
     -F "file=@/path/to/document.pdf" \
     -F "notebook_id=<NOTEBOOK_ID>"

For semantic search across your notebook contents:

curl -X POST http://localhost:5055/search \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"query":"Explain RAG architecture","notebook_id":"<NOTEBOOK_ID>"}'

Key Source Files Referenced Throughout Documentation

The documentation frequently references specific implementation files that define the system's behavior:

• docs/index.md – Master table of contents linking all documentation sections.
• docs/0-START-HERE/index.md – Entry point for new users covering quick-start workflows.
• api/main.py – FastAPI entry point that serves the REST API and Swagger UI documentation.
• open_notebook/domain/models.py – Core data models (Notebook, Source, Note) used throughout the backend.
• CONFIGURATION.md – Central reference for environment variables and server settings.
• CONTRIBUTING.md – Guidelines for contributors and development workflows.

Summary

• The complete open-notebook documentation resides in the docs/ folder at the repository root.
• docs/index.md serves as the master table of contents, while docs/0-START-HERE/index.md provides the entry point for new users.
• Documentation is organized into numbered sections covering installation, core concepts, user guides, AI provider configuration, and development resources.
• Interactive API documentation is available via Swagger UI at http://localhost:5055/docs when running the application.
• All documentation files are Markdown format, readable directly on GitHub or suitable for rendering with static-site generators.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the main entry point for open-notebook documentation?

The primary entry point is docs/index.md in the repository root, which contains a master table of contents linking to all major sections including installation guides, user manuals, and API references. New users should specifically navigate to docs/0-START-HERE/index.md for initial setup instructions and quick-start tutorials.

How do I access the API reference for open-notebook?

The API reference is located in docs/7-DEVELOPMENT/api-reference.md. When running the application locally, you can also access interactive documentation via the Swagger UI at http://localhost:5055/docs, which is served by the FastAPI entry point in api/main.py.

What documentation is available for setting up different AI providers?

Provider-specific configuration instructions are organized under docs/4-AI-PROVIDERS/, covering setup steps for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Ollama, Azure, and other supported LLM services. These files include environment variable requirements and authentication setup necessary for connecting to each provider's API.

Can I read the open-notebook documentation offline or locally?

Yes, all documentation is stored as Markdown files in the docs/ directory, making them fully readable offline. You can view them directly in any text editor or render them locally using any static-site generator that supports Markdown, without requiring an internet connection once the repository is cloned.

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}