Dnote vs Reor
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 | Reor |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,084 | ★ 8,551 |
| First released | 2017 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Simplenote | Evernote, Notion |
What are Dnote and Reor?
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
Reor
Reor is an open-source, private, local-first AI note-taking application. It automatically links related notes, runs AI models locally, and stores everything as plain Markdown files on your machine.
- Local AI models
- Automatic note linking
- Plain Markdown storage
- Semantic search
Dnote vs Reor: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reor's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Dnote is actively maintained. Dnote is written in Go, while Reor is built with JavaScript. Dnote is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reor. Dnote is the more established project (first released 2017), while Reor arrived in 2024. Reor has the considerably larger community, at 8,551 GitHub stars versus 3,084. Dnote lists first-class Docker deployment; Reor 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 Reor if…
- AI features without sending data away
- Notes stay as portable files
Watch out for
- AI features need more RAM
- Younger project
Frequently asked questions
Is Dnote or Reor better?
Neither is universally better. Reor has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dnote and Reor free and open-source?
Yes. Dnote is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Reor under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dnote and Reor with Docker?
Dnote: yes. Reor: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dnote or Reor?
Dnote has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Reor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.