Beaver Notes vs MyTetra
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Beaver Notes | MyTetra |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 49 · Fair |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,343 | ★ 258 |
| First released | 2023 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, OneNote |
What are Beaver Notes and MyTetra?
Beaver Notes
File-over-app note tools include several options; Beaver Notes is an open-source, privacy-focused note-taking application that stores notes locally. It offers a clean editor with tags, folders, and Markdown.
- Local-first note storage
- Markdown editor
- Tags and folders
- Cross-platform apps
MyTetra
MyTetra is an open-source manager for hierarchical notes and code snippets, designed for building a personal knowledge base. It stores data in a portable XML structure that can be synced with any tool.
- Hierarchical note tree
- Code snippet storage
- Portable XML data
- Syncable with external tools
Beaver Notes vs MyTetra: key differences
Beaver Notes is written in JavaScript, while MyTetra is built with C++. Licensing differs — MIT for Beaver Notes versus GPL-3.0 for MyTetra. MyTetra is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Beaver Notes. MyTetra is the more established project (first released 2010), while Beaver Notes arrived in 2023. Beaver Notes has the considerably larger community, at 1,343 GitHub stars versus 258.
Why pick each one
Choose Beaver Notes if…
- Privacy-focused and local
- Clean modern interface
Watch out for
- Younger project
- Sync requires external tools
Choose MyTetra if…
- Good for code snippet libraries
- Portable data format
Watch out for
- Dated interface
- Small community
Frequently asked questions
Is Beaver Notes or MyTetra better?
Neither is universally better. Beaver Notes has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Beaver Notes and MyTetra free and open-source?
Yes. Beaver Notes is licensed under MIT and MyTetra under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Beaver Notes and MyTetra with Docker?
Beaver Notes: check the project docs for container support. MyTetra: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Beaver Notes or MyTetra?
MyTetra has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Beaver Notes. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.