Atomic Server vs TriliumNext Notes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Atomic Server
Knowledge graph database with documents (similar to Notion), tables,
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TriliumNext Notes
Cross-platform hierarchical note taking application with focus on
| Feature | Atomic Server | TriliumNext Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,585 | ★ 37,298 |
| First released | 2024 | 2026 |
| Replaces | — | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Atomic Server if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Choose TriliumNext Notes if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 37.3k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Atomic Server or TriliumNext Notes better?
Neither is universally better. TriliumNext Notes has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Atomic Server and TriliumNext Notes free and open-source?
Yes. Atomic Server is licensed under MIT and TriliumNext Notes under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Atomic Server and TriliumNext Notes with Docker?
Atomic Server: yes. TriliumNext Notes: yes.