AFFiNE vs Docmost
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
AFFiNE
Workspace for docs, whiteboards and databases
VS
Docmost
Open-source collaborative wiki and documentation
| Feature | AFFiNE | Docmost |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 72,916 | ★ 21,773 |
| First released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Notion, Miro | Confluence, Notion |
What are AFFiNE and Docmost?
AFFiNE
AFFiNE is an open-source knowledge base that combines documents, whiteboards, and databases in a single workspace. It targets users wanting an all-in-one alternative to Notion and Miro. It is deployed via Docker.
- Docs, whiteboard and database in one
- Local-first data model
- Real-time collaboration
- Edgeless canvas mode
Docmost
Docmost is an open-source collaborative documentation and wiki software for teams to create and organize knowledge. It targets organizations seeking a self-hosted Confluence alternative. It is deployed via Docker with PostgreSQL.
- Real-time collaborative editing
- Spaces and nested pages
- Permissions and SSO
- Diagrams and embeds
AFFiNE vs Docmost: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for AFFiNE versus AGPL-3.0 for Docmost. AFFiNE is the more established project (first released 2022), while Docmost arrived in 2024. AFFiNE has the considerably larger community, at 72,916 GitHub stars versus 21,773.
Why pick each one
Choose AFFiNE if…
- Versatile workspace
- Local-first design
- Modern UI
Watch out for
- Self-hosting still maturing
- Resource intensive
Choose Docmost if…
- Clean modern interface
- Good team collaboration
- Active development
Watch out for
- Young project
- Requires Postgres
Frequently asked questions
Is AFFiNE or Docmost better?
Neither is universally better. AFFiNE has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are AFFiNE and Docmost free and open-source?
Yes. AFFiNE is licensed under MIT and Docmost under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AFFiNE and Docmost with Docker?
AFFiNE: yes. Docmost: yes.