AFFiNE vs SiYuan
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
SiYuan
Privacy-first personal knowledge management system
| Feature | AFFiNE | SiYuan |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 100 · 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 | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 72,866 | ★ 46,471 |
| First released | 2022 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Notion, Miro | Notion, Evernote |
What are AFFiNE and SiYuan?
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
SiYuan
SiYuan is an open-source, privacy-first personal knowledge management system that supports block-level references and bidirectional links. It can run locally or be self-hosted for access across devices.
- Block-level referencing
- Bidirectional links
- Self-hosted or local mode
- End-to-end encrypted sync
AFFiNE vs SiYuan: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for AFFiNE versus AGPL-3.0 for SiYuan. SiYuan is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for AFFiNE. SiYuan is the more established project (first released 2020), while AFFiNE arrived in 2022.
Why pick each one
Choose AFFiNE if…
- Versatile workspace
- Local-first design
- Modern UI
Watch out for
- Self-hosting still maturing
- Resource intensive
Choose SiYuan if…
- Powerful block-based model
- Works offline and self-hosted
Watch out for
- Documentation strongest in Chinese
- Some advanced features are paid
Frequently asked questions
Is AFFiNE or SiYuan 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 SiYuan free and open-source?
Yes. AFFiNE is licensed under MIT and SiYuan under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AFFiNE and SiYuan with Docker?
AFFiNE: yes. SiYuan: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, AFFiNE or SiYuan?
SiYuan has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for AFFiNE. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.