nb Notes vs Reor
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | nb Notes | Reor |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,410 | ★ 8,551 |
| First released | 2019 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Notion | Evernote, Notion |
What are nb Notes and Reor?
nb Notes
nb is a command-line and local web tool for plain-text note-taking, bookmarking, and archiving with Git-backed versioning and syncing. It works entirely in the terminal and supports encryption.
- Plain-text notes and bookmarks
- Git-backed sync
- Optional encryption
- Tagging and search
Reor
Reor is an open-source, private, local-first AI note-taking application. It automatically links related notes, runs AI models locally, and stores everything as plain Markdown files on your machine.
- Local AI models
- Automatic note linking
- Plain Markdown storage
- Semantic search
nb Notes vs Reor: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reor's repository is archived and no longer developed, while nb Notes is actively maintained. Nb Notes is written in Shell, while Reor is built with JavaScript. Nb Notes is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reor. Nb Notes is the more established project (first released 2019), while Reor arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose nb Notes if…
- Powerful for terminal users
- Versioned with Git
Watch out for
- Command-line only
- No graphical client
Choose Reor if…
- AI features without sending data away
- Notes stay as portable files
Watch out for
- AI features need more RAM
- Younger project
Frequently asked questions
Is nb Notes or Reor better?
Neither is universally better. Reor has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are nb Notes and Reor free and open-source?
Yes. nb Notes is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Reor under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run nb Notes and Reor with Docker?
nb Notes: check the project docs for container support. Reor: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, nb Notes or Reor?
nb Notes has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Reor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.