RedNotebook vs SiYuan
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
RedNotebook
Open-source journaling and diary application
VS
SiYuan
Privacy-first personal knowledge management system
| Feature | RedNotebook | SiYuan |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 558 | ★ 45,670 |
| First released | 2008 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Day One, Journey | Notion, Evernote |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is RedNotebook or SiYuan better?
Neither is universally better. SiYuan has the larger community, while RedNotebook is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are RedNotebook and SiYuan free and open-source?
Yes. RedNotebook is licensed under GPL-2.0 and SiYuan under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run RedNotebook and SiYuan with Docker?
RedNotebook: check the project docs for container support. SiYuan: yes.