Reor vs Wiki.js
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Reor | Wiki.js |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 98 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,551 | ★ 28,956 |
| First released | 2024 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Notion | Confluence, Notion |
What are Reor and Wiki.js?
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
Wiki.js
Wiki.js is a modern, feature-rich wiki engine with multiple editors, authentication options, and storage backends. It targets teams and communities building a structured knowledge base. It is deployed via Docker or Node.js.
- Markdown, WYSIWYG and code editors
- Many authentication providers
- Git and storage sync
- Powerful permissions
Reor vs Wiki.js: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reor's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Wiki.js is actively maintained. Reor is written in JavaScript, while Wiki.js is built with Vue. Wiki.js is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reor. Wiki.js is the more established project (first released 2017), while Reor arrived in 2024. Wiki.js has the considerably larger community, at 28,956 GitHub stars versus 8,551. Wiki.js lists first-class Docker deployment; Reor does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Reor if…
- AI features without sending data away
- Notes stay as portable files
Watch out for
- AI features need more RAM
- Younger project
Choose Wiki.js if…
- Flexible and full-featured
- Many auth options
- Good content management
Watch out for
- Configuration can be involved
- Version 3 rewrite in progress
Frequently asked questions
Is Reor or Wiki.js better?
Neither is universally better. Wiki.js has the larger community, while Reor is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Reor and Wiki.js free and open-source?
Yes. Reor is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Wiki.js under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Reor and Wiki.js with Docker?
Reor: check the project docs for container support. Wiki.js: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Reor or Wiki.js?
Wiki.js has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Reor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.