Our review
A local semantic search engine that indexes files (PDF, Markdown, Word, code) and allows keyword or vector similarity search, with AI-generated answers and citations.
Strengths
- Fast hybrid search (BM25 + vector) with no cloud dependency
- Built-in web UI for browsing documents
- Supports multiple file formats and collections
- AI answers with automatic citations
Limitations
- Requires an initial indexing phase that can be time-consuming for large datasets
- Vector search performance depends on the local model in use
- Not ideal for frequently changing data without periodic reindexing
When you need to quickly search through a set of local documents with semantic capabilities and question answering.
For real-time search on volatile data or complex relational databases.
Security analysis
SafeThe skill only describes how to use a local document search tool (gno) for indexing and querying. It does not include any destructive commands, data exfiltration, or obfuscated payloads. The allowed tools are scoped to Bash(gno:*), restricting execution to gno commands. There is no risk of misuse as described.
No concerns found
Examples
Search all my markdown notes for 'machine learning' and return the top 5 results with snippets.Initialize gno in my ~/projects directory, add the 'research' collection from ~/docs/research, and build the index.Using my indexed knowledge base, ask 'What are the key steps for setting up a CI/CD pipeline?' and give me an answer with citations.name: gno description: Search local documents, files, notes, and knowledge bases. Index directories, search with BM25/vector/hybrid, get AI answers with citations. Use when user wants to search files, find documents, query notes, look up information in local folders, index a directory, set up document search, build a knowledge base, needs RAG/semantic search, or wants to start a local web UI for their docs. allowed-tools: Bash(gno:*) Read
GNO - Local Knowledge Engine
Fast local semantic search. Index once, search instantly. No cloud, no API keys.
When to Use This Skill
- User asks to search files, documents, or notes
- User wants to find information in local folders
- User needs to index a directory for searching
- User mentions PDFs, markdown, Word docs, code to search
- User asks about knowledge base or RAG setup
- User wants semantic/vector search over their files
- User needs to set up MCP for document access
- User wants a web UI to browse/search documents
- User asks to get AI answers from their documents
- User wants to tag, categorize, or filter documents
Quick Start
gno init # Initialize in current directory
gno collection add ~/docs --name docs # Add folder to index
gno index # Build index (ingest + embed)
gno search "your query" # BM25 keyword search
Command Overview
| Category | Commands | Description |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| Search | search, vsearch, query, ask | Find documents by keywords, meaning, or get AI answers |
| Retrieve | get, multi-get, ls | Fetch document content by URI or ID |
| Index | init, collection add/list/remove, index, update, embed | Set up and maintain document index |
| Tags | tags, tags add, tags rm | Organize and filter documents |
| Context | context add/list/rm/check | Add hints to improve search relevance |
| Models | models list/use/pull/clear/path | Manage local AI models |
| Serve | serve | Web UI for browsing and searching |
| MCP | mcp, mcp install/uninstall/status | AI assistant integration |
| Skill | skill install/uninstall/show/paths | Install skill for AI agents |
| Admin | status, doctor, cleanup, reset, completion | Maintenance and diagnostics |
Search Modes
| Command | Speed | Best For |
| ---------------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------- |
| gno search | instant | Exact keyword matching |
| gno vsearch | ~0.5s | Finding similar concepts |
| gno query --fast | ~0.7s | Quick lookups |
| gno query | ~2-3s | Balanced (default) |
| gno query --thorough | ~5-8s | Best recall, complex queries |
| gno ask --answer | ~3-5s | AI-generated answer with citations |
Retry strategy: Use default first. If no results: rephrase query, then try --thorough.
Common Flags
-n <num> Max results (default: 5)
-c, --collection Filter to collection
--tags-any <t1,t2> Has ANY of these tags
--tags-all <t1,t2> Has ALL of these tags
--json JSON output
--files URI list output
--line-numbers Include line numbers
Global Flags
--index <name> Alternate index (default: "default")
--config <path> Override config file
--verbose Verbose logging
--json JSON output
--yes Non-interactive mode
--offline Use cached models only
--no-color Disable colors
--no-pager Disable paging
Reference Documentation
| Topic | File | | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | | Complete CLI reference (all commands, options, flags) | cli-reference.md | | MCP server setup and tools | mcp-reference.md | | Usage examples and patterns | examples.md |
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