diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5b305e0..e94f1e0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
     "idb": "^8.0.3",
     "lucide-svelte": "^0.577.0",
     "markdown-it": "^14.1.1",
+    "nanoid": "^5.1.7",
     "node-diff3": "^3.2.0",
     "nodemailer": "^8.0.2",
     "svelte-dnd-action": "^0.9.69",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index c97d4ee..a7f4735 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ importers:
       markdown-it:
         specifier: ^14.1.1
         version: 14.1.1
+      nanoid:
+        specifier: ^5.1.7
+        version: 5.1.7
       node-diff3:
         specifier: ^3.2.0
         version: 3.2.0
@@ -2998,6 +3001,11 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: ^10 || ^12 || ^13.7 || ^14 || >=15.0.1}
     hasBin: true
 
+  nanoid@5.1.7:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-ua3NDgISf6jdwezAheMOk4mbE1LXjm1DfMUDMuJf4AqxLFK3ccGpgWizwa5YV7Yz9EpXwEaWoRXSb/BnV0t5dQ==}
+    engines: {node: ^18 || >=20}
+    hasBin: true
+
   napi-build-utils@2.0.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-GEbrYkbfF7MoNaoh2iGG84Mnf/WZfB0GdGEsM8wz7Expx/LlWf5U8t9nvJKXSp3qr5IsEbK04cBGhol/KwOsWA==}
 
@@ -6783,6 +6791,8 @@ snapshots:
 
   nanoid@3.3.11: {}
 
+  nanoid@5.1.7: {}
+
   napi-build-utils@2.0.0: {}
 
   negotiator@1.0.0: {}
diff --git a/src/lib/server/notes-service.ts b/src/lib/server/notes-service.ts
index 260c113..b610c57 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/notes-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/notes-service.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { extractTags } from '$lib/utils/tags.js';
 import { fetchTagsForNotes, syncNoteTags } from './tags.js';
 import { fetchAttachmentsForNotes } from './attachments.js';
 import { fetchCollaboratorsForNotes } from './collaborators.js';
+import { fetchSharesForNotes } from './shares-service.js';
 import { canAccessNote } from './api-utils.js';
 import { createSnapshot } from './versions-service.js';
 import { mergeContent } from '$lib/utils/content-merge.js';
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ function hydrateNotes(db: Db, noteRows: NoteRow[], userId: number) {
 	const tagMap = fetchTagsForNotes(db, noteIds);
 	const attachmentMap = fetchAttachmentsForNotes(db, noteIds);
 	const collabMap = fetchCollaboratorsForNotes(db, noteIds);
+	const shareMap = fetchSharesForNotes(db, noteIds);
 
 	return noteRows.map((note) => {
 		const collaborators = collabMap.get(note.id) ?? [];
@@ -44,7 +46,8 @@ function hydrateNotes(db: Db, noteRows: NoteRow[], userId: number) {
 			attachments: attachmentMap.get(note.id) ?? [],
 			collaborators,
 			isOwner,
-			isShared
+			isShared,
+			shareToken: shareMap.get(note.id) ?? undefined
 		};
 	});
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/server/shares-service.ts b/src/lib/server/shares-service.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b81182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/server/shares-service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+import type { Db } from './db/index.js';
+import { sharedNotes, notes, attachments } from './db/schema.js';
+import { eq, and, inArray } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { nanoid } from 'nanoid';
+import { requireNoteOwnership } from './api-utils.js';
+import type { SharedNoteData, Attachment } from '$lib/types/index.js';
+
+/**
+ * Batch fetch share tokens for multiple notes.
+ * Returns a Map of noteId → token.
+ */
+export function fetchSharesForNotes(db: Db, noteIds: string[]): Map<string, string> {
+	if (noteIds.length === 0) return new Map();
+
+	const rows = db
+		.select({ noteId: sharedNotes.noteId, token: sharedNotes.token })
+		.from(sharedNotes)
+		.where(inArray(sharedNotes.noteId, noteIds))
+		.all();
+
+	const map = new Map<string, string>();
+	for (const row of rows) {
+		map.set(row.noteId, row.token);
+	}
+	return map;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create a public share link for a note. Idempotent — returns existing token if already shared.
+ */
+export function createShare(db: Db, noteId: string, userId: number): { token: string } {
+	requireNoteOwnership(db, noteId, userId);
+
+	const existing = db
+		.select({ token: sharedNotes.token })
+		.from(sharedNotes)
+		.where(eq(sharedNotes.noteId, noteId))
+		.get();
+
+	if (existing) return { token: existing.token };
+
+	const token = nanoid(21);
+	db.insert(sharedNotes)
+		.values({ noteId, token, createdAt: new Date() })
+		.run();
+
+	return { token };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Revoke a public share link for a note.
+ */
+export function revokeShare(db: Db, noteId: string, userId: number): void {
+	requireNoteOwnership(db, noteId, userId);
+
+	db.delete(sharedNotes)
+		.where(eq(sharedNotes.noteId, noteId))
+		.run();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get share info for a specific note.
+ */
+export function getShareByNoteId(db: Db, noteId: string) {
+	return db
+		.select()
+		.from(sharedNotes)
+		.where(eq(sharedNotes.noteId, noteId))
+		.get() ?? null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get a shared note by its public token. Returns null if note is trashed or token is invalid.
+ */
+export function getSharedNote(db: Db, token: string): (SharedNoteData & { noteId: string }) | null {
+	const share = db
+		.select()
+		.from(sharedNotes)
+		.where(eq(sharedNotes.token, token))
+		.get();
+
+	if (!share) return null;
+
+	const note = db
+		.select()
+		.from(notes)
+		.where(and(eq(notes.id, share.noteId), eq(notes.trashed, false)))
+		.get();
+
+	if (!note) return null;
+
+	const noteAttachments = db
+		.select()
+		.from(attachments)
+		.where(eq(attachments.noteId, share.noteId))
+		.all() as Attachment[];
+
+	return {
+		noteId: note.id,
+		title: note.title,
+		content: note.content,
+		checklistMode: note.checklistMode,
+		color: note.color as SharedNoteData['color'],
+		attachments: noteAttachments,
+		createdAt: note.createdAt,
+		updatedAt: note.updatedAt
+	};
+}