MyTetra 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 | MyTetra | Trilium Notes Next |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 49 · Fair | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 258 | ★ 2,926 |
| First released | 2010 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, OneNote, Notion |
What are MyTetra and Trilium Notes Next?
MyTetra
MyTetra is an open-source manager for hierarchical notes and code snippets, designed for building a personal knowledge base. It stores data in a portable XML structure that can be synced with any tool.
- Hierarchical note tree
- Code snippet storage
- Portable XML data
- Syncable with external tools
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
MyTetra vs Trilium Notes Next: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Trilium Notes Next's repository is archived and no longer developed, while MyTetra is actively maintained. MyTetra is written in C++, while Trilium Notes Next is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for MyTetra versus AGPL-3.0 for Trilium Notes Next. MyTetra is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. MyTetra is the more established project (first released 2010), while Trilium Notes Next arrived in 2024. Trilium Notes Next has the considerably larger community, at 2,926 GitHub stars versus 258. Trilium Notes Next lists first-class Docker deployment; MyTetra does not.
Why pick each one
Choose MyTetra if…
- Good for code snippet libraries
- Portable data format
Watch out for
- Dated interface
- Small community
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 MyTetra or Trilium Notes Next better?
Neither is universally better. Trilium Notes Next has the larger community, while MyTetra is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are MyTetra and Trilium Notes Next free and open-source?
Yes. MyTetra is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Trilium Notes Next under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MyTetra and Trilium Notes Next with Docker?
MyTetra: check the project docs for container support. Trilium Notes Next: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MyTetra or Trilium Notes Next?
MyTetra has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.