Notabase vs Tangent Notes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Notabase | Tangent Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 73 · Good | 75 · Good |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source, bare-metal | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 912 | ★ 556 |
| First released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Roam Research, Obsidian | Obsidian, Roam Research |
What are Notabase and Tangent Notes?
Notabase
Notabase is an open-source personal knowledge base that connects notes through links and block references to support networked thinking. It offers a WYSIWYG editor and can be self-hosted on a Supabase backend.
- Linked notes and block references
- WYSIWYG rich-text editor
- Markdown export
- Self-hostable on Supabase
Tangent Notes
Tangent is a free, local-first note-taking application that stores notes as plain Markdown files and links them together into a connected map. It focuses on capturing and connecting ideas without a cloud dependency.
- Local-first storage
- Linked note map
- Plain Markdown files
- Session history
Notabase vs Tangent Notes: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Notabase versus MIT for Tangent Notes. Tangent Notes is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Notabase.
Why pick each one
Choose Notabase if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in TypeScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Tangent Notes if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Notabase or Tangent Notes better?
Neither is universally better. Notabase has the larger community, while Tangent Notes is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Notabase and Tangent Notes free and open-source?
Yes. Notabase is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tangent Notes under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Notabase and Tangent Notes with Docker?
Notabase: check the project docs for container support. Tangent Notes: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Notabase or Tangent Notes?
Tangent Notes has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Notabase. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.