siyuan vs zennotes
Knowledge management and Markdown notes compared
siyuan and zennotes are note-taking projects with local or self-hosted options and tools for working with Markdown. siyuan centers on linked content blocks and broader knowledge-management features, while zennotes keeps notes in ordinary Markdown files and emphasizes keyboard-first workflows.
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.
zennotes: Manage Markdown Notes with Keyboard-First Tools
ZenNotes is a local-first Markdown notes app for people who prefer plain files, keyboard navigation, and Vim motions. It runs as an Electron desktop app or a self-hosted web app, with search, diagrams, CLI, and MCP integrations.
| siyuan | zennotes | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Stars | 46.6k | 2.5k |
| Forks | 3k | 147 |
| Last analyzed | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Key differences
- siyuan organizes notes as structured blocks with references and backlinks; zennotes works with Markdown files in a folder or existing vault.
- siyuan includes databases, flashcards, and AI features; zennotes focuses on file-based editing, search, tasks, and previews.
- siyuan offers desktop and mobile apps, a CLI, and browser-based Docker hosting; zennotes offers an Electron desktop app and a self-hosted web app backed by a Go server.
- siyuan is licensed under AGPL-3.0, while zennotes uses the MIT license.
- zennotes describes its desktop app as more mature, with web features still moving toward parity; siyuan's Docker hosting is browser-only and cannot connect to its desktop or mobile apps.
Choose siyuan if you…
- need block-level links, backlinks, and structured knowledge tools such as databases or flashcards.
- want desktop or mobile apps, or browser-based Docker hosting.
- want Markdown WYSIWYG editing, long-document tools, and multiple export formats.
Choose zennotes if you…
- prefer ordinary Markdown files that remain directly accessible to other tools.
- want Vim motions, keyboard-first editing, and support for an existing Obsidian-style vault.
- need CLI or MCP workflows to work with the same notes you edit yourself.
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This comparison is generated with AI from the OSRepos analyses of both projects. Always check each project's repository and documentation before choosing.