nb Notes 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 | nb Notes | VNote |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Shell | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,410 | ★ 12,977 |
| First released | 2019 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Notion | Evernote, OneNote |
What are nb Notes and VNote?
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
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
nb Notes vs VNote: key differences
Nb Notes is written in Shell, while VNote is built with C++. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for nb Notes versus MIT for VNote. Nb Notes is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for VNote. VNote is the more established project (first released 2017), while nb Notes arrived in 2019.
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 VNote if…
- Fast native app
- Plain file storage
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No built-in sync
Frequently asked questions
Is nb Notes 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 nb Notes and VNote free and open-source?
Yes. nb Notes is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and VNote under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run nb Notes and VNote with Docker?
nb Notes: check the project docs for container support. VNote: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, nb Notes or VNote?
nb Notes has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for VNote. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.