---
title: Bookstack
description: Connect your Bookstack instance to SurfSense
---

# BookStack Integration Setup Guide

<Callout type="warn" title="Indexing deprecated">
The BookStack indexing pipeline is currently deprecated — the knowledge base now stores files, notes, and uploads only. Existing BookStack connectors remain manageable, but new indexing runs are refused by the backend.
</Callout>

This guide walks you through connecting your BookStack instance to SurfSense.

## How it works

The BookStack connector uses the BookStack REST API to fetch all pages from your BookStack instance that your account has access to.

- For follow up indexing runs, the connector retrieves pages that have been updated since the last indexing attempt.
- Indexing should be configured to run periodically, so updates should appear in your search results within minutes.

---

## Authorization

<Callout type="info" title="API Token Required">
You need to create an API token from your BookStack instance. The token requires "Access System API" permission.
</Callout>

### Step 1: Create an API Token

1. Log in to your BookStack instance
2. Click on your profile icon → Edit Profile
3. Navigate to the "API Tokens" tab
4. Click "Create Token" and give it a name
5. Copy both the **Token ID** and **Token Secret**
6. Paste them in the connector form

### Step 2: Grant necessary access

Your user account must have "Access System API" permission. The connector will only index content your account can view.

<Callout type="info" title="Rate Limiting">
BookStack API has a rate limit of 180 requests per minute. The connector automatically handles rate limiting to ensure reliable indexing.
</Callout>

<Callout type="info" title="Periodic Sync">
Enable periodic sync to automatically re-index pages when content changes. Available frequencies: Every 5 minutes, 15 minutes, hourly, every 6 hours, daily, or weekly.
</Callout>

---

## Connecting to SurfSense

1. Navigate to the Connector Dashboard and select the **BookStack** Connector.
2. Fill in the required fields:

| Field | Description | Example |
|-------|-------------|---------|
| **Connector Name** | A friendly name to identify this connector | `My BookStack Connector` |
| **BookStack Base URL** | The full URL of your BookStack instance | `https://docs.example.com` |
| **Token ID** | Your API Token ID from BookStack | |
| **Token Secret** | Your API Token Secret from BookStack | |

3. Click **Connect** to establish the connection.
4. Once connected, your BookStack pages will be indexed automatically.

### What Gets Indexed

The BookStack connector indexes the following data:

| Data Type | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| Pages | All pages from your BookStack instance |
| Content | Page content in Markdown format |
| Metadata | Page titles and metadata |
| Structure | Book and chapter hierarchy information |
