SHSelfHostIndex

Dnote vs Laverna

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?
DN Dnote Simple command-line notebook with multi-device sync VS LA Laverna Markdown note-taking app with client-side encryption
FeatureDnoteLaverna
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score78 · Good24 · At risk
CategoryNotes & Knowledge BaseNotes & Knowledge Base
LicenseAGPL-3.0MPL-2.0
LanguageGoJavaScript
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB128 MB
Deploymentdocker, binary, sourcebare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 3,084★ 9,171
First released20172014
ReplacesEvernote, SimplenoteEvernote, Simplenote

What are Dnote and Laverna?

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

Read the full Dnote guide →

Laverna

Laverna is an open-source, web-based note-taking application with Markdown support and client-side encryption. It can store notes locally or sync via Dropbox or remoteStorage and can be self-hosted as a static app.

  • Client-side encryption
  • Markdown editor
  • Offline support
  • Static self-hosted app

Read the full Laverna guide →

Dnote vs Laverna: key differences

Dnote is written in Go, while Laverna is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Dnote versus MPL-2.0 for Laverna. Laverna is the more established project (first released 2014), while Dnote arrived in 2017. Laverna has the considerably larger community, at 9,171 GitHub stars versus 3,084. Dnote lists first-class Docker deployment; Laverna does not.

Why pick each one

Choose Dnote if…

  • Stays out of the way for developers
  • Quick capture from terminal

Watch out for

  • Terminal-first workflow
  • Limited rich formatting
Dnote details

Choose Laverna if…

  • Strong privacy focus
  • No backend required

Watch out for

  • Development has stalled
  • Aging codebase
Laverna details

Frequently asked questions

Is Dnote or Laverna better?

Neither is universally better. Laverna has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Dnote and Laverna free and open-source?

Yes. Dnote is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Laverna under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Dnote and Laverna with Docker?

Dnote: yes. Laverna: check the project docs for container support.

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