Nectar vs STING Server
Choose Your Deployment
Both options are free and open source. Pick based on your use case, not your budget.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Nectar (Desktop) | STING Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | ||
| Installation | Desktop app (manages Docker automatically) | Docker Compose |
| Runs on | Mac, Windows, Linux | Any Docker host |
| Air-gap capable | Yes | Yes |
| VM appliance (OVA) | No | Yes |
| AI Capabilities | ||
| Bee AI assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Local LLM support (Ollama) | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud AI integration | Via STING Server | Yes |
| Knowledge Management | ||
| Honey Jars | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Document types | PDF, DOCX, Markdown, etc. | PDF, DOCX, Markdown, etc. |
| Vector search | Yes | Yes |
| Security | ||
| PII scrambling | Yes | Yes |
| WebAuthn/Passkey auth | Yes | Yes |
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256 |
| Users | ||
| User count | Single user | Multi-user |
| Team workspaces | No | Yes |
| Role-based access | No | Yes |
| Support | ||
| Support channel | Community (GitHub, Discord) | Community (GitHub, Discord) |
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
Which One Should You Use?
Use Nectar if:
- You're an individual user
- You want the simplest setup
- You need 100% offline capability
- You prefer desktop apps
- You want to try STING before deploying a server
Use STING Server if:
- You have a team that needs access
- You want centralized knowledge management
- You need multi-user authentication
- You're comfortable with Docker
- You want to run it on a dedicated server or VM
Can I Use Both?
Yes. Nectar can connect to a STING Server, so you can:
- Start with Nectar to evaluate locally
- Deploy STING Server when your team is ready
- Connect Nectar to your server for a native desktop experience with shared knowledge bases