Joplin vs Writing
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?
Joplin
Open-source note-taking and to-do app with sync
VS
Writing
Lightweight distraction-free text editor, in the browser (Markdown and
| Feature | Joplin | Writing |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 55,856 | ★ 1,118 |
| First released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Writing if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (1.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Joplin or Writing better?
Joplin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Writing if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Joplin and Writing free and open-source?
Yes. Joplin is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Writing under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Joplin and Writing with Docker?
Joplin: yes. Writing: check the project docs for container support.