MyTetra vs VNote
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 | VNote |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 49 · Fair | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 258 | ★ 12,977 |
| First released | 2010 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, OneNote |
What are MyTetra and VNote?
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
VNote
VNote is a Markdown-based note-taking application focused on developers, offering folder-based notebooks, syntax highlighting, and Vim-style editing. Notes are plain files that can be synced through external tools.
- Folder-based notebooks
- Vim editing mode
- Markdown with diagrams
- Code-friendly themes
MyTetra vs VNote: key differences
Both projects are written in C++. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for MyTetra versus MIT for VNote. MyTetra is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for VNote. MyTetra is the more established project (first released 2010), while VNote arrived in 2017. VNote has the considerably larger community, at 12,977 GitHub stars versus 258.
Why pick each one
Choose MyTetra if…
- Good for code snippet libraries
- Portable data format
Watch out for
- Dated interface
- Small community
Choose VNote if…
- Fast native app
- Plain file storage
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No built-in sync
Frequently asked questions
Is MyTetra or VNote better?
Neither is universally better. VNote has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MyTetra and VNote free and open-source?
Yes. MyTetra is licensed under GPL-3.0 and VNote under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MyTetra and VNote with Docker?
MyTetra: check the project docs for container support. VNote: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, MyTetra or VNote?
MyTetra has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for VNote. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.