Memos
64kKnowledge base that works with a SQLite db file.
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Self-hosted Note-taking & Editors
SelfHostHub lists 23 open-source Note-taking & Editors projects you can host on your own server. The most-starred on GitHub are Memos (63,897 stars), Joplin (56,784 stars) and TriliumNext Notes (38,388 stars). 16 of them document a Docker install, and 10 offer a live demo you can try first.
Replacing a paid app? See open-source alternatives to Notion, open-source alternatives to Evernote, open-source alternatives to Google Docs.
Joplin
57kNote taking application with markdown editor and encryption support for mobile and desktop platforms. Runs client-side and syncs through a self hosted Nextcloud instance or similar (alternative to Evernote).
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Cross-platform hierarchical note taking application with focus on building large personal knowledge bases (fork of Trilium Notes).
Note-taking & EditorsAGPL-3.0
Overleaf
18kWeb-based collaborative LaTeX editor.
Note-taking & EditorsAGPL-3.0
Docs
17kCollaborative note taking, wiki and documentation platform that scales.
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Blinko
11kA personal note tool with AI features.
Note-taking & EditorsAGPL-3.0
draw.io
8.9kDiagram software for making flowcharts, process diagrams, org charts, UML, ER and network diagrams.
Note-taking & EditorsApache-2.0
HedgeDoc
7.5kRealtime collaborative markdown notes on all platforms, formerly known as CodiMD and HackMD CE.
Note-taking & EditorsAGPL-3.0
Standard Notes
6.7kSimple and private notes app. Protect your privacy while getting more done. That's Standard Notes.
Note-taking & EditorsGPL-3.0
SilverBullet
6.3kNote-taking application optimized for people with a hacker mindset.
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Livebook
5.9kRealtime collaborative notebook app based on Markdown that supports running Elixir code snippets, TeX and Mermaid Diagrams. Easily deployed using Docker or Elixir.
Note-taking & EditorsApache-2.0
flatnotes
3.3kDatabase-less note-taking web app that utilises a flat folder of markdown files for storage.
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
NoteDiscovery
2.8kMarkdown note-taking app with plain-file storage, graph view, and MCP integration (alternative to Obsidian, Notion).
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Jotty
2.0kLightweight but powerful alternative for managing your personal, file based, notes and checklists.
Note-taking & EditorsAGPL-3.0
bewCloud
1.2kFile sharing + sync, notes, and photos (alternative to Nextcloud and ownCloud's RSS reader).
File Transfer & SynchronizationAGPL-3.0
Writing
1.1kLightweight distraction-free text editor, in the browser (Markdown and LaTeX supported). No lag when writing.
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Many Notes
1.1kMarkdown note-taking web application designed for simplicity.
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Note Mark
776Minimal web-based Markdown notes app.
Note-taking & EditorsAGPL-3.0
DailyTxT
506Encrypted diary Web application to save your personal memories of each day. Includes a search function and encrypted file upload.
Note-taking & EditorsMIT
Plainpad
451Modern note taking application for the cloud, utilizing the best features of progressive web apps technology.
Note-taking & EditorsGPL-3.0
plumio
138Markdown notes taking app with live preview, document encryption, multi-user support, multi-organization capabilities and more.
Note-taking & EditorsAGPL-3.0
Neverkin
17Collaborative writing, worldbuilding and D&D-session-planning app. Tools for organizing your notes and stories.
Note-taking & EditorsGPL-3.0
Totally private personal database and note taking app.
Note-taking & EditorsGPL-3.0
How to choose self-hosted Note-taking & Editors software
- Check project health. Stars show popularity, not maintenance. Open the source repository and look at recent commits and releases.
- Match the licence to your use. 12 use a GPL-family licence (copyleft, including AGPL) and 11 use a permissive licence such as MIT, Apache-2.0 or BSD. AGPL matters if you modify the software and offer it to others over a network.
- Pick a stack you can run. The most common platforms here are Docker (16), Nodejs (5), K8S (2) and Ruby (2). Docker is usually the easiest path for a home server or VPS.
- Try before you migrate. Use a live demo where one exists (10 here), or a throwaway container first, and confirm it can import your existing data before switching.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular self-hosted Note-taking & Editors software?
By GitHub stars, the top projects in this category are Memos (63,897 stars), Joplin (56,784 stars) and TriliumNext Notes (38,388 stars).
How many open-source Note-taking & Editors tools are listed?
23 projects are currently listed in the Note-taking & Editors category on SelfHostHub.
Which licences do self-hosted Note-taking & Editors projects use?
The most common licences in this category are MIT (9), AGPL-3.0 (8) and GPL-3.0 (4).
Can I run these Note-taking & Editors tools with Docker?
16 of the 23 projects list Docker as a supported platform. Check each project's documentation for the exact install steps.