March 15, 2024 · 8 min read
BrainBox: A Better Local-First Workspace
Privacy-first, self-hosted workspace built on Colanode's foundation, with improved UI, Kanban swimlanes, workspace-wide channels, and dedicated DMs.
Introduction
Most collaboration suites trade control for convenience. BrainBox is different: professional, self-hosted, and privacy-first. It centralizes tasks, projects, notes, resources, and goals without vendor lock-in, so your second brain stays on your infrastructure.
Built on Colanode, then improved
BrainBox began as a fork of Colanode to leverage its strong local-first, conflict-free collaboration model. From there, we focused on real usability and team workflows:
- Significantly improved UI/UX — Faster, cleaner, and more consistent interactions across pages and databases.
- Kanban swimlanes — Plan sprints and manage priority with lane-based grouping that makes backlogs and in-progress work obvious.
- Communications redesigned — Channels and DMs are separated from “spaces,” so collaboration is clearer and less noisy.
- Workspace-wide channels — Channels aren't tied to individual spaces anymore. They're available across the workspace.
- Direct messages and self-chat — Quick notes, reminders, and personal logs. Perfect for capturing ideas without leaving context.
Core features
Quick Capture
Save ideas, tasks, and bookmarks instantly.
Projects & Tasks
Flexible boards, lists, and milestones.
Resources & Notes
Documents, wikis, and references.
Goals Tracker
Define outcomes and visualize progress.
Real-time Collaboration
Edit together with role-based access.
Privacy by Design
Self-hosted with complete data ownership.
Why local-first matters
Local-first means your data is saved to your device first and syncs in the background. Work offline, avoid surprise conflicts, and keep full sovereignty over your knowledge graph. With self-hosting, your data never leaves your servers.
BrainBox vs cloud workspaces
- Ownership — Self-host on your own infrastructure. No per-seat pricing, no lock-in.
- Offline resilience — Continue working even without a connection.
- UI made for teams — Kanban with swimlanes, workspace-wide channels, and separate DMs.
- Private AI — Upcoming AI Learning Assistant operates inside your secure environment.
What's coming next
AI Learning Assistant
Learn faster, understand complex topics, and connect knowledge across your documents. Privately, inside your workspace.
Custom Themes
Personalize your workspace to match your style and accessibility needs.
Tool Integrations
Integrations with Slack, Gmail, and other essentials.
Under the hood
BrainBox uses TypeScript with React on the frontend, Fastify on the backend, and PostgreSQL as the system of record. It's designed for local-first operation, strong privacy, and real-time collaboration.
Conclusion
Your second brain shouldn't be rented. BrainBox pairs local-first architecture with a cleaner UI, better team workflows, and self-hosted privacy, so your knowledge stays truly yours.