How to sync Buku bookmarks across multiple computers?

Sync the SQLite database file (e.g., ~/.local/share/buku/bookmarks.db) using tools like rsync, cloud storage, or Git. Buku's merge-able database allows manual conflict resolution, but there's no automatic cloud sync built-in.

Buku vs browser bookmark managers: which is better?

Buku excels in privacy, portability, and powerful CLI search, but lacks built-in cloud sync and real-time collaboration compared to browser managers like Chrome or Firefox. It's ideal for users who prioritize control and offline access.

How to import bookmarks from Chrome to Buku?

Use the --ai option to auto-import from Chrome; ensure Chrome is closed to avoid database locks, as mentioned in the quickstart. Buku supports multiple browsers including Chrome, Chromium, and Edge.

Can Buku handle broken or redirected links?

Yes, Buku can check broken links via the Wayback Machine with --cached, and handle permanent redirects using --url-redirect, with options to tag or delete based on HTTP errors, as shown in examples.

What export formats does Buku support?

Buku exports to HTML, XBEL, Markdown, Orgfile, RSS/Atom, or another Buku database, allowing flexibility for backup or migration, detailed in the --export option examples.

How to search with regular expressions in Buku?

Use the -r or --sreg option followed by your regex pattern, e.g., 'buku -r "pattern"' to search across all fields. This is part of the powerful search capabilities documented in the usage section.

Open-Awesome

buku

GPL-3.0Pythonv5.1Self-Hosted

A powerful command-line bookmark manager with a portable SQLite database, auto-fetching, and privacy focus.

GitHub

7.2k stars318 forks0 contributors

What is buku?

Buku is a command-line bookmark manager that stores bookmarks in a portable SQLite database. It allows users to add, search, update, and organize bookmarks with auto-fetched metadata, browser import, and powerful search capabilities, all while maintaining privacy and avoiding cloud dependencies.

Target Audience

Developers, sysadmins, and power users who prefer command-line tools and want a portable, privacy-focused bookmark manager that works offline and across systems.

Value Proposition

Buku offers a unique combination of a portable SQLite database, powerful search options (regex, deep scan), and privacy by design, making it ideal for those who want full control over their bookmarks without relying on browser extensions or cloud services.

Overview

:bookmark: Personal mini-web in text

Use Cases

Best For

Managing bookmarks entirely from the command line
Syncing bookmarks across multiple systems via a portable database
Importing bookmarks from multiple browsers (Firefox, Chrome, etc.)
Searching bookmarks with regex or advanced field-specific queries
Keeping bookmark data private and self-contained
Automating bookmark management with scripts or workflows

Not Ideal For

Teams needing real-time collaborative bookmark editing with shared access
Users who exclusively prefer drag-and-drop graphical interfaces without terminal interaction
Projects requiring automatic cloud synchronization without manual file management

Pros & Cons

Pros

Portable SQLite Database

Uses a single, merge-able SQLite file for easy syncing across systems without external dependencies, as emphasized in the portable database feature.

Advanced Search Capabilities

Supports regex, deep scan, and field-specific searches with markers, enabling precise bookmark retrieval, evidenced by options like --sreg and --markers in the command-line documentation.

Privacy-First Design

Explicitly avoids tracking, hidden history, and data collection, making it ideal for privacy-conscious users, as stated in the philosophy and features list.

Browser Import Flexibility

Can auto-import bookmarks from multiple browsers like Firefox and Chrome using the --ai option, simplifying migration from existing managers.

Cons

No Built-in Cloud Sync

Relies on manual file syncing of the SQLite database, lacking automatic cloud backup or real-time synchronization features common in browser-based managers.

Separate GUI Component

The web UI (bukuserver) is a separate project requiring additional setup, making it less integrated than all-in-one graphical bookmark managers.

Python Dependency Overhead

Requires Python 3.10+ and external packages like beautifulsoup4, which may need manual installation and troubleshooting on some systems, as noted in the dependencies section.

Frequently Asked Questions

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