mdSilo vs Zettlr
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | mdSilo | Zettlr |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 63 · Good | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source, binary | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 851 | ★ 13,577 |
| First released | 2022 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Obsidian, Roam Research | Notion, Obsidian |
What are mdSilo and Zettlr?
mdSilo
mdSilo is an open-source note-taking and personal knowledge management application that supports backlinks, a graph view, and Markdown editing. It can run on the desktop or be self-hosted as a web app for personal use.
- Bidirectional backlinks
- Graph visualization
- Markdown editor
- Built-in RSS reader
Zettlr
Zettlr is a desktop Markdown editor designed for academic writing and Zettelkasten note management, with citation support and internal linking. While desktop-first, it works on plain Markdown folders that can sync between machines.
- Zettelkasten linking
- Citation manager support
- Multi-format export
- Folder-based projects
mdSilo vs Zettlr: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for mdSilo versus GPL-3.0 for Zettlr. Zettlr is the more established project (first released 2017), while mdSilo arrived in 2022. Zettlr has the considerably larger community, at 13,577 GitHub stars versus 851.
Why pick each one
Choose mdSilo if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Zettlr if…
- Strong academic features
- Plain Markdown files
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No native sync server
Frequently asked questions
Is mdSilo or Zettlr better?
Neither is universally better. Zettlr has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are mdSilo and Zettlr free and open-source?
Yes. mdSilo is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Zettlr under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mdSilo and Zettlr with Docker?
mdSilo: check the project docs for container support. Zettlr: check the project docs for container support.