Help & Documentation
Everything you need to get the most out of Grimoire.
Getting Started
Welcome to Grimoire. Here's how to go from download to your first note in under two minutes.
- Install Grimoire — Download the installer for your platform from the download page and run it. No special permissions required.
- Choose a notes folder — On first launch, Grimoire asks where to store your notes. Pick any local folder. Notes are saved as plain
.mdfiles. - Start writing — Press Ctrl+N to create a new note. That's it.
- Enable the AI (optional) — Install Ollama, pull a model (e.g.
ollama pull llama3), and Grimoire will detect it automatically.
Writing Notes
Grimoire uses standard Markdown with a live preview. You'll feel at home if you've ever used GitHub, Obsidian, or any Markdown editor.
Supported syntax
- Headings, bold, italic, strikethrough
- Ordered and unordered lists, task lists
- Code blocks with syntax highlighting
- Links, images, and block quotes
- Tables and horizontal rules
- Footnotes and definition lists
Notes are saved automatically as you type. Every file is a plain .md file on disk — no database, no lock-in.
AI Assistant
Grimoire's AI assistant runs locally via Ollama. It can read your notes (with your permission) and help you think, summarize, and connect ideas — without sending a single byte over the network.
What it can do
- Answer questions about your notes
- Summarize long documents
- Suggest connections between ideas
- Help draft or expand on a topic
- Explain code snippets in your notes
Setup
Install Ollama from ollama.com and pull at least one model. Grimoire connects to Ollama's local API automatically — no API keys or configuration needed.
ollama pull llama3 Once running, open the assistant panel with Ctrl+J.
Organizing Notes
Grimoire keeps organization simple and flexible. Use whatever system works for you.
- Folders — Nest notes in subdirectories as you see fit.
- Tags — Add
#tagsanywhere in your note. Grimoire indexes them for quick filtering. - Links — Use
[[wiki-links]]to connect related notes. - Search — Full-text search across all notes. Instant results as you type.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl / ⌘ + N | New note |
| Ctrl / ⌘ + S | Save note |
| Ctrl / ⌘ + P | Quick open |
| Ctrl / ⌘ + Shift + F | Search all notes |
| Ctrl / ⌘ + J | Toggle AI assistant |
| Ctrl / ⌘ + B | Bold |
| Ctrl / ⌘ + I | Italic |
| Ctrl / ⌘ + K | Insert link |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Grimoire really free?
Yes. Grimoire is free and open source software released under the GPL v3 license. No subscriptions, no trials, no hidden costs.
Does the AI require an internet connection?
No. The AI assistant uses Ollama to run language models entirely on your machine. Once you've downloaded a model, no network access is needed.
Where is my data stored?
All notes are stored as plain Markdown files in a local folder of your choosing. There is no proprietary database — your files are always yours.
Can I sync notes between devices?
Grimoire itself doesn't include cloud sync, but since notes are plain files you can use any tool you trust — Git, Syncthing, or a USB drive.
What language models are supported?
Any model available through Ollama. We recommend starting with Llama 3 or Mistral for a good balance between quality and speed.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Open an issue on the GitHub repository. We welcome contributions and feedback from the community.
Still have questions?
Check the GitHub repository for discussions, issues, and the latest updates.
Visit on GitHub