Boost Note vs Dnote
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Boost Note | Dnote |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 78 · Good |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,046 | ★ 3,084 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote | Evernote, Simplenote |
What are Boost Note and Dnote?
Boost Note
Boost Note is an open-source note-taking app aimed at developers, with Markdown editing, code snippet notes, tagging, and syntax highlighting. Notes are stored as files. The upstream app repository is archived and no longer actively developed.
- Markdown and snippet notes
- Tag-based organization
- File-based storage
- Code syntax highlighting
Dnote
Dnote is an open-source, simple command-line notebook for programmers and terminal users. It captures quick notes without breaking focus and can sync through a self-hostable server.
- Command-line note capture
- Self-hostable sync server
- Browser extension
- Spaced-repetition digests
Boost Note vs Dnote: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Boost Note's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Dnote is actively maintained. Boost Note is written in TypeScript, while Dnote is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Boost Note versus AGPL-3.0 for Dnote. Dnote is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Boost Note. Dnote lists first-class Docker deployment; Boost Note does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Boost Note if…
- Developer-friendly
- Files you control
Watch out for
- Project direction shifted
- No first-party server
Choose Dnote if…
- Stays out of the way for developers
- Quick capture from terminal
Watch out for
- Terminal-first workflow
- Limited rich formatting
Frequently asked questions
Is Boost Note or Dnote better?
Neither is universally better. Boost Note has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Boost Note and Dnote free and open-source?
Yes. Boost Note is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Dnote under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Boost Note and Dnote with Docker?
Boost Note: check the project docs for container support. Dnote: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Boost Note or Dnote?
Dnote has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Boost Note. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.