Docs & PDF Q&A
Dot
Ask questions of your own documents, with no setup and nothing uploaded
★ 1.9k
December 2024
GPL-3.0
Docs & PDF Q&A
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 8 Sept 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 13 Sept 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 1 Sept 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 62 tools we list in Docs & PDF Q&A
- Works without using a terminal19 of 62
- No API key required31 of 62
- Keeps your data on your own machine20 of 62
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed52 of 62
Only 5 of the 62 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Load PDFs and documents and ask questions about them, with the model running locally so nothing is sent anywhere. It bundles everything needed so people without a programming background can install and use it directly. The project has not been updated since December 2024, the bundled model is small and correspondingly less capable than a hosted service, and Japanese accuracy trails English - check answers against the source.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultyFor advanced users
- Command lineNot required
- API keyNot required
- Sends data onlineNo
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
Dot FAQ
- Is Dot free?
- Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use Dot?
- You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.
- Does Dot work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use Dot commercially?
- The licence is GPL-3.0. Using it commercially is fine, but if you distribute something built on it you may be required to release that under the same licence. Keep it internal, or check before distributing.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dot (this page) | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| eum | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | Yes | Not verified |
| LangChain | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| llm-app | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.