Dnote vs Markor Sync
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Dnote | Markor Sync |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,084 | ★ 6,170 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Simplenote | Google Keep, Evernote |
What are Dnote and Markor Sync?
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
Markor Sync
Markor is a text and Markdown notes editor that works directly on local files, making it ideal for folders synchronized by tools like Syncthing. It supports to-do lists, Zim wiki, and todo.txt formats.
- Works on plain files
- Markdown and todo.txt
- No accounts needed
- Offline editing
Dnote vs Markor Sync: key differences
Dnote is written in Go, while Markor Sync is built with Java. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Dnote versus Apache-2.0 for Markor Sync. Markor Sync is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Dnote. Markor Sync has the considerably larger community, at 6,170 GitHub stars versus 3,084. Dnote lists first-class Docker deployment; Markor Sync 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
Choose Markor Sync if…
- Pairs with any sync tool
- Privacy respecting
Watch out for
- Android only
- Manual sync setup
Frequently asked questions
Is Dnote or Markor Sync better?
Neither is universally better. Markor Sync has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dnote and Markor Sync free and open-source?
Yes. Dnote is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Markor Sync under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dnote and Markor Sync with Docker?
Dnote: yes. Markor Sync: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dnote or Markor Sync?
Markor Sync has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Dnote. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.