Feature Showcase · 2026

Bookmarking.
Reinvented.

Shaarli is a lean, self-hosted bookmarking platform with no database required — combined with the origr3n theme, it becomes a beautiful, keyboard-friendly tool for personal knowledge management.

origr3n on GitHub Shaarli Project
12 Core Features
11 origr3n Enhancements
0 Databases required
100% Self-Hosted
DE/EN i18n Support
The bookmark manager for people who mean it

Shaarli is an open-source bookmarking service that runs entirely on your own server — no database, no cloud dependency, no tracking. A single PHP application stores all data in a flat file. Backup means copying one file. Migration means transferring one file.

What sets Shaarli apart from commercial alternatives like Pocket or Pinboard: complete data ownership, a machine-readable REST API, per-link privacy controls, and an active open-source ecosystem maintained for over a decade.

Combined with the origr3n theme, Shaarli gains a polished Deep Forest interface — keyboard shortcuts, smart autocomplete, an optimized Picwall, and a Dark/Light toggle — without sacrificing any of its lightweight simplicity.

Save Bookmarks
Capture URLs with title, description and tags in seconds. Mark each link individually as private or public — granular, not all-or-nothing.
Flexible Tag System
Tags instead of rigid folder hierarchies. The tag cloud shows your focus areas at a glance. Combine multiple tags and a search term simultaneously.
Full-Text Search
Searches titles, descriptions and tags simultaneously. Results are instant — no loading screens, no delays, even with thousands of bookmarks.
Private or Public
Granular visibility: keep individual links private or share them publicly. Private links are only visible after login — your personal notebook alongside your public feed.
Picwall
All links with a thumbnail as a visual gallery. Perfect for design inspiration, reference collections, or anything where the image tells more than the URL.
Daily View
A chronological day-by-day digest of all saved links. A clean overview by date for anyone who adds links regularly.
RSS/Atom Feeds
Subscribe to any tag view, search result, or the full list as a machine-readable feed. Connect feed readers, newsletter tools and aggregators directly.
REST API
Full CRUD API for programmatically managing links. Build browser extensions, CLI shortcuts, and automation workflows without depending on the UI.
Plugin System
Markdown rendering, QR code generator, thumbnail preview and more. Official and community plugins extend Shaarli's behavior without touching the core.
Import & Export
Netscape Bookmark Format for direct import from Chrome, Firefox and Pocket. Migrate from Pinboard and other services without data loss.
No Database
All data in a single flat file. No MySQL, no Redis, no overhead. Backup is one file copy. Migration is one file transfer. Truly minimal.
Self-Hosted & Private
Your server, your rules. No tracking, no data sharing, no vendor lock-in. Runs on any PHP-capable web server from PHP 7.4 onwards.
origr3n makes the difference
Visually superior. Functionally better.
The origr3n theme doesn't just change how Shaarli looks — it makes daily use more productive: faster search, better overview, a more pleasant reading experience.
Deep Forest Dark Theme
A thoughtfully crafted dark atmosphere in forest green — not simply inverted colors. Contrast-optimized for long sessions, calm on the eyes, clear in hierarchy.
Light/Dark Toggle
Manual switching or following the system preference. Your choice is stored in the browser — it's correct on the next visit without any configuration.
Search Overlay + / Shortcut
Press / to open the search overlay from anywhere on the page. No scrolling, no mouse clicks required.
Tag Autocomplete
Awesomplete suggests matching tags from your own library as you type. No typos, consistent taxonomy — your collection stays clean over years of use.
Optimized Picwall
Exactly 8 tiles per row with optimized spacing, centered last row. Visually balanced across all screen widths without manual configuration.
Status Badges
Subtle Private and Pinned indicators in the footer of each link card — not cluttering the title area. Clean, unobtrusive, immediately readable.
Floating Action Button
The + button is always visible on the link list without being distracting. Add a new link without navigating through the menu — straight from browse mode.
Smart Empty State
When a search returns 0 results, a contextual message with illustration replaces the empty page. Search term, tag filter or general empty state — always communicated appropriately.
i18n — Language Detection
Dynamic UI strings follow the browser's language setting. German and English built-in, more languages easily added — without rebuilding the theme.
Quicksand Typography
A humanistic, highly readable typeface for long browsing sessions. Bundled locally under the SIL Open Font License — no CDN, no external requests on page load.
Timeline View
A clock icon in the header toggles day-separator dividers between link cards — chronological orientation at a glance. State persists across page reloads via localStorage.
Why self-host your bookmarks?
Commercial alternatives come with trade-offs. Here's how Shaarli compares.
Feature Shaarli + origr3n Pocket Pinboard Browser Bookmarks
No data tracking
Free forever
REST API
RSS feeds per tag
No database required
Own server
Beautiful dark theme
Who uses Shaarli — and how?
Shaarli isn't a single-purpose tool. Here are seven common scenarios — from a personal knowledge base to a team link collection.
Personal Knowledge Base
"I collect everything in one place — articles, docs, videos, references. Shaarli is my digital memory for links I'll need again someday."
Tags Full-Text Search No Expiry
Read-Later Queue
"I come across interesting content throughout the day but don't have time to read it. Private links as a reading list — organized and accessible when I'm ready."
Private Tag: read-later Mobile
Curated Link Feed
"I share my most interesting finds publicly. Shaarli is my link micro-blog — with an RSS feed my readers can subscribe to."
Public RSS Descriptions
Developer Resources
"Repos, docs, Stack Overflow answers, API references — all organized with tags. Search finds it instantly, even if the bookmark is months old."
Tags API Browser Extension
Privacy-First Pocket Alternative
"No Pocket account, no tracking, no data sharing. My reading list lives on my server — and stays there."
Self-Hosted No Tracking Import from Pocket
Team Knowledge Base
"Links to internal tools, onboarding resources, useful articles — in a shared Shaarli instance for the whole team. No more searching through Slack."
Public internally Search No login required
Blog Research
"For every article draft I collect sources and inspiration in Shaarli. Tags link material to the upcoming post — research and writing stay cleanly separated."
Tags Private Markdown
Install origr3n in minutes
origr3n works with Shaarli v0.12.0 or later. The Quicksand font is bundled locally — no internet connection required after installation.
Installation
# 1. Download origr3n into your Shaarli themes directory cd /path/to/shaarli/tpl git clone https://github.com/gruenheit/origr3n.git origr3n # 2. In Shaarli admin panel → Tools → Theme → select "origr3n" # 3. Recommended plugins: markdown, addlink_toolbar

Ready to try it?

origr3n is open source under the MIT License. Quicksand font bundled under SIL OFL.