> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.bladevault.pro/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.bladevault.pro/readme.md).

# BladeVault

**A sharp, local-first knife collection manager.** Catalog your knives, compare them side by side, and keep your collection data under your own control.

![BladeVault collection view with Smart Collections, model-family browsing, and configurable knife cards](https://4101357676-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYY5gwRx8odmm4fPkCTrv%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-4ae480b479ca88cd2514d9f37df253d4647548ed%2Fcollection.png?alt=media)

## Start here

| I want to                                                | Go to                                                                       |
| -------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Get running in a few minutes                             | [Quickstart](/get-started/quickstart.md)                                    |
| Run it as a container                                    | [Docker and Podman](/installation/docker.md)                                |
| Run it on Kubernetes                                     | [Kubernetes with Helm](/installation/helm.md)                               |
| Use the desktop app                                      | [Desktop app](/installation/desktop.md)                                     |
| Build and run from source                                | [Run from source](/installation/from-source.md)                             |
| Learn the collection, comparison, and insights workflows | [Organize your collection](/guides/collection.md)                           |
| Log cleaning, sharpening, or other care                  | [Maintenance](/guides/log-maintenance.md)                                   |
| Find gaps or inconsistent values in my records           | [Improve collection data quality](/guides/improve-data-quality.md)          |
| Back up the vault or restore a saved copy                | [Back up and restore your vault](/guides/back-up-and-restore-your-vault.md) |
| Connect an AI client to my collection                    | [MCP](/reference/mcp.md)                                                    |
| Find my data, back it up, or lock the app                | [Your data](/reference/data.md)                                             |

## What it does

* **Catalog** — keep specifications, pricing, provenance, notes, links, and local photos for every knife. Import product details from supported retailer URLs, with an interactive browser fallback.
* **Organize** — search, filter, pin, and bulk-edit records; add custom text, number, and date fields, and choose what appears on collection cards and in the pinned sidebar.
* **Browse** — save filters as Smart Collections that update with your records, or browse variants together in Model families. Global search understands model names and `/model A4301` for model numbers.
* **Compare** — create named shortlists, add a knife to several lists, show only the differences, and print or export comparisons as PDF.
* **Maintain** — log cleaning, lubrication, sharpening, stropping, and disassembly with dated notes, and review the history in Logs.
* **Understand** — explore makers, materials, dimensions, completeness, and activity through collection insights.
* **Keep control** — the vault lives in a local SQLite database, ZIP backups are portable, and cloud backup is optional.

## Feature guides

| Task                                          | Guide                                                                        |
| --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Import a product page                         | [Add a knife from a product URL](/guides/add-knife-to-collection.md)         |
| Import several product pages                  | [Add several knives at once](/guides/add-several-knives.md)                  |
| Enter a knife without a product page          | [Add a knife manually](/guides/add-knife-in-manual-mode.md)                  |
| Correct a saved record or mark it as sold     | [Update a saved knife](/guides/update-a-saved-knife.md)                      |
| Find records and narrow the collection        | [Search, filter, and sort your collection](/guides/search-and-filter.md)     |
| Save a filter for later                       | [Create and manage Smart Collections](/guides/smart-collections.md)          |
| Update or pin a selection of records          | [Edit and pin several knives at once](/guides/bulk-actions.md)               |
| Store additional information                  | [Add and manage custom fields](/guides/custom-fields.md)                     |
| Group and inspect model variants              | [Browse model families and variants](/guides/model-families.md)              |
| Change card details, theme, or time format    | [Customize cards and collection appearance](/guides/customize-appearance.md) |
| Build and export a shortlist                  | [Compare knives](/guides/compare.md)                                         |
| Record cleaning, sharpening, and other care   | [Log maintenance and sharpening](/guides/log-maintenance.md)                 |
| Understand collection patterns                | [Collection insights](/guides/insights.md)                                   |
| Review missing data, measurements, and labels | [Improve collection data quality](/guides/improve-data-quality.md)           |
| See what changed and when                     | [Review collection activity in Logs](/guides/review-collection-activity.md)  |
| Preserve a copy of a source page              | [Capture source pages](/guides/capture-sources.md)                           |
| Save or restore a full-vault archive          | [Back up and restore your vault](/guides/back-up-and-restore-your-vault.md)  |

## Choose a setup

| Option           | Best for                             | Start here                                      |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Desktop app      | A native macOS or Windows experience | [Desktop app](/installation/desktop.md)         |
| Docker or Podman | A self-hosted local instance         | [Docker and Podman](/installation/docker.md)    |
| Kubernetes       | k3s or another Kubernetes cluster    | [Kubernetes with Helm](/installation/helm.md)   |
| Source           | Development and customization        | [Run from source](/installation/from-source.md) |

## Requirements

* **Node.js 24 LTS** only if you run from source; the repository pins `24.21.0` in `.nvmrc`.
* A container runtime (Docker or Podman), or a Kubernetes cluster with a `LoadBalancer` implementation such as MetalLB for the Helm path.
* **Chromium** if you want URL import and webpage capture from a source checkout (`npx playwright install chromium`).

## Links

* [Download the latest release](https://github.com/dedkola/bladevault/releases/latest) · [full release history](https://github.com/dedkola/bladevault/releases) · [demo video](https://youtu.be/yurbpv0JY80)
* [Source code](https://github.com/dedkola/bladevault) · [contributing guide](https://github.com/dedkola/bladevault/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) · [code of conduct](https://github.com/dedkola/bladevault/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
* BladeVault is released under the [MIT License](https://github.com/dedkola/bladevault/blob/main/LICENSE).