SilverBullet 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.
Wiki.js
Modern and powerful open-source wiki
| Feature | SilverBullet | Wiki.js |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,142 | ★ 28,956 |
| First released | 2022 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Notion, Obsidian | Confluence, Notion |
What are SilverBullet and Wiki.js?
SilverBullet
SilverBullet is an extensible, Markdown-based note-taking web app that you can run on your own server and access from any browser. It targets users who want a programmable personal knowledge tool. It is deployed via Docker or Deno.
- Markdown-based with live queries
- Extensible via Space Script
- Works offline as a PWA
- Plain file storage
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
SilverBullet vs Wiki.js: key differences
SilverBullet is written in TypeScript, while Wiki.js is built with Vue. Licensing differs — MIT for SilverBullet versus AGPL-3.0 for Wiki.js. SilverBullet is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Wiki.js. Wiki.js is the more established project (first released 2017), while SilverBullet arrived in 2022. Wiki.js has the considerably larger community, at 28,956 GitHub stars versus 6,142.
Why pick each one
Choose SilverBullet if…
- Highly hackable
- Lightweight
- Files stay portable
Watch out for
- Niche and DIY-oriented
- Smaller community
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 SilverBullet or Wiki.js better?
Neither is universally better. Wiki.js has the larger community, while SilverBullet is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are SilverBullet and Wiki.js free and open-source?
Yes. SilverBullet is licensed under MIT and Wiki.js under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SilverBullet and Wiki.js with Docker?
SilverBullet: yes. Wiki.js: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, SilverBullet or Wiki.js?
SilverBullet has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Wiki.js. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.