Athens Research vs Zettlr
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Athens Research | Zettlr |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 22 · At risk | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | EPL-1.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Clojure | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,298 | ★ 13,577 |
| First released | 2020 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Roam Research, Obsidian | Notion, Obsidian |
What are Athens Research and Zettlr?
Athens Research
Athens is an open-source knowledge graph and networked note-taking tool inspired by Roam Research, supporting block references and bidirectional links. It can be self-hosted with a multiplayer server for shared knowledge bases.
- Block references
- Bidirectional links
- Multiplayer self-hosting
- Knowledge graph view
Zettlr
Zettlr is a desktop Markdown editor designed for academic writing and Zettelkasten note management, with citation support and internal linking. While desktop-first, it works on plain Markdown folders that can sync between machines.
- Zettelkasten linking
- Citation manager support
- Multi-format export
- Folder-based projects
Athens Research vs Zettlr: key differences
Athens Research is written in Clojure, while Zettlr is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — EPL-1.0 for Athens Research versus GPL-3.0 for Zettlr. Zettlr is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Athens Research. Zettlr is the more established project (first released 2017), while Athens Research arrived in 2020. Zettlr has the considerably larger community, at 13,577 GitHub stars versus 6,298. Athens Research lists first-class Docker deployment; Zettlr does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Athens Research if…
- Released under the EPL-1.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.3k GitHub stars
- Written in Clojure
Choose Zettlr if…
- Strong academic features
- Plain Markdown files
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No native sync server
Frequently asked questions
Is Athens Research or Zettlr better?
Zettlr is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Athens Research if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Athens Research and Zettlr free and open-source?
Yes. Athens Research is licensed under EPL-1.0 and Zettlr under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Athens Research and Zettlr with Docker?
Athens Research: yes. Zettlr: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Athens Research or Zettlr?
Zettlr has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Athens Research. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.