MindForger vs Trilium Notes Next
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MindForger | Trilium Notes Next |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,721 | ★ 2,926 |
| First released | 2018 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, OneNote, Notion |
What are MindForger and Trilium Notes Next?
MindForger
MindForger is an open-source, desktop personal knowledge base and Markdown editor that doubles as a thinking notebook. It keeps all notes as plain Markdown files in directories you control.
- Markdown notebook
- Associations between notes
- Knowledge mind mapping
- Plain file storage
Trilium Notes Next
TriliumNext is the actively maintained community continuation of Trilium Notes, a hierarchical note-taking application for building large personal knowledge bases. It supports rich text, code notes, and scripting.
- Hierarchical note tree
- Rich text and code notes
- Scripting and automation
- Note encryption
MindForger vs Trilium Notes Next: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Trilium Notes Next's repository is archived and no longer developed, while MindForger is actively maintained. MindForger is written in C++, while Trilium Notes Next is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for MindForger versus AGPL-3.0 for Trilium Notes Next. MindForger is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. MindForger is the more established project (first released 2018), while Trilium Notes Next arrived in 2024. Trilium Notes Next lists first-class Docker deployment; MindForger does not.
Why pick each one
Choose MindForger if…
- Notes stay as portable files
- Works fully offline
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No native sync
Choose Trilium Notes Next if…
- Excellent for large knowledge bases
- Powerful and extensible
Watch out for
- Steeper learning curve
- Primarily single-user
Frequently asked questions
Is MindForger or Trilium Notes Next better?
Neither is universally better. Trilium Notes Next has the larger community, while MindForger is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are MindForger and Trilium Notes Next free and open-source?
Yes. MindForger is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Trilium Notes Next under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MindForger and Trilium Notes Next with Docker?
MindForger: check the project docs for container support. Trilium Notes Next: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MindForger or Trilium Notes Next?
MindForger has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.