siyuan vs Trilium
Personal knowledge management apps compared
siyuan and Trilium are TypeScript, AGPL-3.0 projects for building personal knowledge bases, with desktop and self-hosting options. siyuan centers on linked content blocks and Markdown WYSIWYG, while Trilium centers on a hierarchical note tree with multiple note types, revisions, and scripting.
siyuan: Build a Self-Hosted Knowledge Workspace
SiYuan is a privacy-first workspace for organizing notes as linked, addressable content blocks. It combines a visual Markdown editor, knowledge-management tools, and optional AI features, with desktop, mobile, and self-hosted deployment options.
Trilium: Build and Organize a Personal Knowledge Base
Trilium is a cross-platform note-taking app for building and maintaining large personal knowledge bases. It combines a hierarchical note tree with search, linking, versioning, scripting, and options for self-hosting and synchronization.
| siyuan | Trilium | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Stars | 46.6k | 38.2k |
| Forks | 3k | 2.6k |
| Last analyzed | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 3, 2026 |
Key differences
- siyuan organizes knowledge in linked blocks with backlinks and embedded SQL queries; Trilium organizes notes in a tree, and a note can appear in multiple places.
- siyuan offers Markdown WYSIWYG, flashcards, and export to PDF, Word, and HTML; Trilium offers note revisions, protected-note encryption, and note and relation maps.
- siyuan provides desktop and mobile apps, a CLI, and browser-only Docker hosting; Trilium provides a desktop app or a self-hosted server with a browser interface and mobile-friendly frontend.
- siyuan lists AI writing and chat through the OpenAI API; Trilium lists scripting, a REST API, and a Web Clipper.
- Both projects use TypeScript and AGPL-3.0. siyuan reports 46.6k stars and 3k forks; Trilium reports 38.2k stars and 2.6k forks.
Choose siyuan if you…
- need block-level references, backlinks, or SQL queries in your notes.
- want Markdown WYSIWYG editing, flashcards, or AI features through the OpenAI API.
- prefer desktop or mobile apps, or browser-only Docker hosting.
Choose Trilium if you…
- want a hierarchical note tree where notes can appear in multiple places.
- need note revisions, protected-note encryption, or a choice of note types such as canvas and mind map.
- want self-hosted synchronization, scripting, or a REST API for workflows.
Compare the numbers side by side, or add more projects
This comparison is generated with AI from the OSRepos analyses of both projects. Always check each project's repository and documentation before choosing.