Best Self Hosted Alternatives to HackMD

Joplin is a free and open source note-taking and to-do application designed for keeping your data private while staying available across devices. It is offline-first and can sync using end-to-end encryption via multiple backends, including WebDAV and Nextcloud.

Key Features

• Organize notes in notebooks with tags and powerful full-text search
• Markdown-based notes with optional rich-text editing
• End-to-end encryption (E2EE) for sync to protect note contents
• Sync with multiple providers and standards (including WebDAV-compatible services)
• Web Clipper extension to save web pages or screenshots as notes
• Import from Evernote (ENEX) and import/export Markdown
• Customization via plugins, themes, and an extension API
• Available on desktop and mobile, plus a terminal application

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge management across devices with encrypted synchronization
• Migrating from Evernote and consolidating notes into an open format
• Capturing research and articles via web clipping for offline reading

Joplin fits individuals and teams that want flexible note organization, broad sync options, and strong privacy controls. Its open formats and extensibility make it a solid long-term notes and knowledge base solution.

Plane is an open-source project management platform for planning, tracking, and organizing work across teams. It combines issue/work-item tracking, planning cycles, and an integrated knowledge/wiki system in a single product. (github.com)

Key Features

• Work items with rich text editor, file uploads, sub-properties and relations for detailed issue tracking.
• Cycles (sprints) with burn-down charts and progress tracking.
• Pages and wiki-style knowledge management with AI-assisted content features.
• Custom views, saved filters, modules, and timeline/dependency planning for flexible workflows.
• Analytics and dashboards to visualize trends and team performance.
• Native importers and integrations (GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Sentry, CSV, Jira, Linear, Notion and others).
• Cloud offering (Plane Cloud) plus self-hosted options with Docker/Kubernetes deployment manifests.

(docs.plane.so)

Use Cases

• Product and engineering teams managing feature work, bugs, epics and release cycles.
• Organizations combining project planning with internal documentation and knowledge bases.
• Teams that need flexible views and analytics to track velocity, blockers, and timelines.

(docs.plane.so)

Limitations and Considerations

• Plane is licensed under AGPL-3.0; this copyleft license can have implications for how modified versions are redistributed or offered as a service. (github.com)
• Some advanced features (for example Plane AI and AI credit mechanics) are surfaced via Plane Cloud and may depend on the cloud offering rather than core on-prem capabilities. (docs.plane.so)
• Production deployments require standard infrastructure components (PostgreSQL, Redis, etc.) and appropriate scaling/configuration for larger teams; plan for those operational needs when self-hosting. (github.com)

Plane provides a modern, integrated approach to project and knowledge management with both cloud and self-hosted deployment choices. It is suitable for teams that want an open-source alternative to commercial PM tools while retaining extensibility and integration options. (github.com)

Trilium Notes is a cross-platform note-taking application designed for building large, structured personal knowledge bases. It can be used locally as a desktop app or run as a server to access notes in a browser and synchronize across devices.

Key Features

• Deep hierarchical note tree with cloning (one note can appear in multiple places)
• Rich WYSIWYG editor with Markdown-like autoformat, tables, images, and math
• Code notes with syntax highlighting and dedicated editor
• Full-text search plus fast navigation, hoisting, and command palette-style search
• Note revisions/versioning for review and undo
• Per-note encryption with password-protected sessions
• Web clipper support for saving web content into notes
• Extensibility via attributes, scripting, custom widgets, and built-in REST API
• Multiple note types and visual tools (canvas, Mermaid diagrams, mind maps, relation/note maps)
• Collections for structured workflows (tables, kanban boards, calendar, geomap, presentations)

Use Cases

• Personal or team knowledge base with structured documentation and cross-linked notes
• Research and project organization using tables, kanban boards, diagrams, and saved searches
• Private journaling and sensitive information storage using per-note encryption

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses an SQLite database; sharing the database directly over a network drive is discouraged due to corruption risk
• Not intended as a large-file storage system; synchronization can be unreliable with very large uploads
• No official native mobile app; mobile access is primarily via the web/mobile frontend (PWA)

Trilium Notes combines a strong hierarchical model with powerful search, versioning, and automation features. It is well-suited for users who want an extensible knowledge base that scales to very large collections of notes while keeping control of their data.

Docmost is a collaborative wiki and documentation platform designed for teams to create, organize, and share internal knowledge. It provides a modern editor with real-time collaboration and structured spaces, making it a practical alternative to tools like Confluence and Notion.

Key Features

• Real-time collaborative editing with live cursors and instant syncing
• Team spaces for organizing documentation by department, project, or domain
• RBAC-style permissions with groups and granular access controls
• Inline comments for discussions directly on pages
• Page history for tracking changes over time
• Built-in diagram support (Draw.io, Excalidraw, Mermaid)
• File attachments and rich embeds from external tools
• Full-text search across content
• Imports from Confluence, Notion, and HTML/Markdown files
• Multilingual UI with support for many translations

Use Cases

• Internal company wiki for policies, runbooks, and engineering docs
• Project documentation hub with permissions per team or space
• Publishing selected pages as a public-facing knowledge base

Limitations and Considerations

• Some functionality is reserved for an Enterprise Edition under a separate license from the AGPL-licensed core

Docmost combines collaborative editing, structured organization, and strong access controls to help teams manage documentation at scale. It is well-suited for organizations that want control over deployment and data while retaining a modern documentation experience.

Docs is an open-source collaborative note-taking, wiki and documentation platform from La Suite numérique. It provides real-time collaborative editing, offline sync, export options and a Django + React/Next.js stack for extensible deployments. (github.com)

Key Features

• Real-time collaborative editing powered by operational transform / CRDT tooling (Yjs / HocusPocus) for low-latency co-editing.
• Dual editing modes: rich in-line editor (BlockNote) and Markdown support with slash-commands and block types.
• Offline editing with automatic sync when reconnected.
• Export to multiple document formats (.odt, .docx, .pdf) with customizable templates.
• Granular access controls and subpages to organize team knowledge.
• AI-assisted actions (rephrase, summarize, translate, prompt creation) integrated into the editor.
• Production-ready deployment patterns: Kubernetes for production and Docker Compose for local/dev environments. (github.com)

Use Cases

• Internal knowledge base and team wiki for public sector or enterprise documentation.
• Collaborative authoring of policies, procedures, and technical docs with live multi-author workflows.
• Documentation portals and public-facing docs sites when combined with La Suite deployment patterns. (github.com)

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced editor features (for example certain PDF export capabilities) rely on BlockNote "XL" packages that are GPL-licensed and not MIT-compatible; those features can be disabled to produce an MIT-only build (PUBLISH_AS_MIT).
• Official public instances may require federated or government-specific authentication (example: ProConnect for certain French government instances). (github.com)

Docs is suitable for organizations that need a self-hosted, extensible collaborative documentation solution with real-time editing and export workflows. The project is community-driven and designed to scale from small teams to government deployments. (github.com)

TiddlyWiki is a self-contained personal wiki and non-linear web notebook implemented in JavaScript. It can run directly in a web browser as a single HTML file, or be deployed using Node.js for more advanced multi-user and automation scenarios.

Key Features

• Single-file wiki that can be opened and used directly in the browser
• “Tiddlers” (small pages/notes) with powerful linking and transclusion for non-linear writing
• Highly customizable UI and behavior via built-in WikiText, macros, and plugins
• Tagging, search, filtering, and flexible navigation for personal knowledge management
• Node.js-based server mode for hosting, building, and automated publishing workflows

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge management (notes, journals, research, Zettelkasten-style linking)
• Team or personal documentation and lightweight wikis
• Offline-first portable notebooks stored and shared as a single file

TiddlyWiki is well-suited for users who want a durable, hackable wiki that can live as a file or be hosted as a Node.js application. Its plugin ecosystem and deep customizability make it adaptable to many note-taking and documentation workflows.

HedgeDoc (formerly CodiMD) is an open-source, web-based Markdown editor focused on real-time collaboration. It enables teams to co-edit notes in the browser, share note links, and work together on text, diagrams, and presentations.

Key Features

• Real-time collaborative editing in the browser
• Markdown-based notes with support for diagrams and embedded content
• Presentation mode for Markdown slides
• Simple note permission controls for sharing and editing
• Revision history with the ability to review and revert changes
• Designed to run with low system requirements

Use Cases

• Team meeting notes and collaborative documentation
• Workshops, classes, and live note-taking sessions
• Creating Markdown slide decks for internal presentations

Limitations and Considerations

• HedgeDoc 2 is a rewrite and the development branch may not include all features compared to the stable 1.x releases

HedgeDoc is well-suited for groups that want a fast, link-shareable collaborative editor with Markdown-centric workflows. It combines realtime editing with practical publishing features like revisions and presentation mode for everyday knowledge sharing.

Standard Notes is a privacy-focused note-taking application that uses end-to-end encryption to protect notes and files so only you can decrypt your data. It supports cross-device sync, offline access, and a flexible editing experience for different writing and organization styles.

Key Features

• End-to-end encryption with a zero-knowledge design for notes and attached files
• Cross-platform apps and web app with sync across unlimited devices
• Offline access so you can read and edit notes without an internet connection
• Multiple editor types, including Markdown and rich text, plus support for code snippets and lists
• Self-hosting support by pointing clients to a custom sync server via configuration
• Built with a public codebase and designed for long-term, durable personal knowledge storage

Use Cases

• Private personal knowledge management for journals, records, and sensitive documents
• Secure storage of credentials, keys, and confidential notes alongside attachments
• Team members or individuals who need a consistent notes workflow across desktop and mobile

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced editor and productivity features are provided via extensions and may require additional configuration or a paid plan depending on the feature

Standard Notes is a strong fit for users who want straightforward note-taking with rigorous privacy guarantees and reliable multi-device access. It is especially well-suited for storing long-lived personal or professional information where confidentiality and portability matter.

flatnotes is a distraction-free note-taking web app designed around a simple folder of Markdown files instead of a database. It focuses on fast capture and retrieval of notes while keeping your data portable and editable outside the app.

Key Features

• Stores notes as plain Markdown files in a flat directory (no database)
• Mobile-responsive web interface
• Raw Markdown and WYSIWYG editor modes
• Full-text search with an incrementally synced search index
• Tagging for organizing and filtering notes
• Wiki-style links between notes using double-bracket syntax
• Customizable home page and light/dark themes
• Multiple authentication modes including optional read-only mode and 2FA
• RESTful API for programmatic access

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base where notes remain accessible as files
• Lightweight team or household notes/wiki with quick search and tagging
• Homelab note service integrated with scripts via the API

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses a flat folder model (no hierarchical notebooks/folders within the UI)
• Search relies on an index cache, which may need storage and occasional rebuilds for very large libraries

flatnotes is a good fit if you want a simple web UI for Markdown notes without lock-in, while retaining powerful search, tagging, and linking for day-to-day use.

EventCatalog is an open source documentation tool that helps teams model and document distributed software architecture. It focuses on making domains, services, events, schemas, and their relationships discoverable and searchable across event-driven and microservice systems.

Key Features

• Markdown- and MDX-driven content for documenting domains, services, messages/events, and schemas
• Generation and synchronization of catalog content from OpenAPI and AsyncAPI inputs
• Schema and architecture primitives designed to capture ownership, dependencies, and relationships
• Diagram support (including versioned diagrams stored with your repository) to document system views and flows
• CLI-driven workflows suitable for local use and CI/CD automation
• Extensible via SDK/API to integrate with custom brokers, registries, or internal systems
• AI-oriented capabilities such as querying structured architecture knowledge and MCP server integration

Use Cases

• Create a searchable source of truth for event-driven architectures across teams and repositories
• Keep architecture documentation aligned with API/spec changes by regenerating catalog content in CI/CD
• Improve onboarding and incident response by making owners, dependencies, and event flows easy to discover

EventCatalog works well for organizations adopting DDD, microservices, and event-driven architecture who want documentation to evolve with their system rather than drift over time. It is especially useful when architecture knowledge is fragmented across multiple tools and teams.

NoteDiscovery is a lightweight, self-hosted knowledge base and note-taking application that stores content as plain Markdown files in folders. It focuses on fast navigation and discovery of notes with a modern web interface, while keeping data under your control.

Key Features

• Markdown editor with live preview and code syntax highlighting
• Wikilinks for connecting notes and an interactive graph view
• YAML frontmatter metadata with tag-based organization and filtering
• Templates with dynamic placeholders for creating reusable note formats
• Mermaid diagram rendering and LaTeX/MathJax equation support
• Favorites, outline (table of contents) panel, and keyboard shortcuts
• Plugin system for extending functionality
• Optional built-in password protection and a REST API
• Responsive UI with Progressive Web App (PWA) support
• Export notes as standalone HTML files

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base or “second brain” built on local Markdown files
• Developer documentation and technical notes with code blocks, diagrams, and math
• Small team internal wiki with simple sharing and optional authentication

NoteDiscovery is a practical option for users who want a fast, Markdown-first knowledge base with linking and visualization features, without relying on proprietary storage formats. Its file-based approach also makes backups and migrations straightforward.

Writing is a lightweight distraction-free text editor that runs entirely in the browser. It provides a split editor/preview workflow with Markdown support and optional LaTeX math rendering, designed for fast, flicker-free typing.

Key Features

• No backend required: open a single HTML file and use it offline
• Live Markdown preview with fast rendering
• Optional LaTeX/Math formulas rendering (MathJax)
• Export/print to PDF and save source as Markdown
• Open existing Markdown files locally
• Distraction-free modes (editor only, preview only, or split view)
• Dark mode and font toggles (roman/sans-serif)
• Support for page breaks when printing/exporting

Use Cases

• Writing technical notes with Markdown and math equations
• Drafting documents offline and exporting them to PDF
• A simple local Markdown editor for minimal, low-distraction writing

Writing focuses on a small set of core writing and preview features with minimal UI and no accounts or server setup. It is well-suited for users who want a simple, portable editor that can be hosted as static files or used directly from disk.

Alexandrie is a fast, modern web application for taking and organizing notes using an extended Markdown format. It combines a distraction-free editor with structured organization to support personal knowledge bases and technical documentation.

Key Features

• Enhanced Markdown editor with extended syntax for structured notes
• Workspaces, categories, nested documents, and tags for organization
• Instant search across notes
• Sharing via links and a permissions system
• Export and print options including PDF and Markdown
• Offline access via PWA support

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge management for students, creators, and knowledge workers
• Team-shared documentation with controlled access and share links
• Building a structured Markdown-based knowledge base with exportable content

Limitations and Considerations

• Some functionality (such as file assets/attachments) depends on configuring S3-compatible object storage

Alexandrie is a strong choice for users who want a Markdown-first notes app with modern UX, flexible organization, and sharing controls. It fits well for both personal note-taking and lightweight knowledge base workflows.

Nextcloud Notes is a simple, distraction-free note-taking application for Nextcloud. It stores notes as regular files in your Nextcloud, making them accessible and syncable across Nextcloud clients and devices.

Key Features

• Notes stored as files in your Nextcloud (compatible with Nextcloud sync clients)
• Markdown formatting support for writing and previewing
• Categories for organizing notes
• Favorites for quick access to important notes
• JSON-based REST API for integrations and mobile/third-party clients
• Admin defaults configurable via Nextcloud occ commands (mode, file extension, default folder)

Use Cases

• Personal note-taking synced across desktop and mobile via Nextcloud
• Team or shared note folders managed through Nextcloud file sharing
• Integrating notes into custom apps via the Notes REST API

Nextcloud Notes is a good fit if you want lightweight notes that remain plain files inside your Nextcloud storage, while still providing a focused editor, Markdown support, and an integration-friendly API.

Note Mark is a lightweight web application for writing, organizing, and sharing Markdown notes. It focuses on speed and a minimal interface, with a responsive UI suited to both desktop and mobile use.

Key Features

• GitHub Flavored Markdown editing and rendering
• Fast editor with keyboard shortcuts and multiple viewing modes (rendered/plain)
• HTML sanitization to reduce XSS risks when rendering notes
• Notebook sharing with friendly, clean URLs
• Light and dark themes
• Upload and attach assets to notes
• Flat-file based storage system (no database required)
• Optional OpenID Connect (OIDC) support for single sign-on

Use Cases

• Personal or team Markdown note-taking with a clean web UI
• Shared notebooks for project notes, runbooks, or lightweight documentation
• Hosting a simple knowledge space with attachments and readable URLs

Limitations and Considerations

• The project’s V0.x line is in a maintenance-focused phase while V1 is being developed, which may affect feature velocity.

Note Mark is a solid choice if you want a fast, self-contained Markdown notes app with sharing, attachments, and optional SSO. Its flat-file storage and minimal design make it particularly appealing for simple deployments and homelab setups.

Glass Keep is a Keep-style notes application that combines a glassmorphism UI with a Vite + React frontend and a small Express API backed by SQLite. It targets self-hosting use and can be run via Docker or as a local dev server.

Key Features

• Markdown notes with headings, code blocks and formatted text
• Checklists with drag-reorder and inline toggles
• Image attachments (client-side compression), thumbnails and fullscreen viewer
• Drawing/handwritten notes with brush controls
• Tags as chips, per-note color themes, pin/unpin and grid layout
• Real-time collaboration (checklists and note co-editing), conflict resolution
• Auth (username/password), secret recovery key, admin panel and user management
• PWA support, import/export (JSON, Google Keep import), per-note .md download
• Docker image and a single-file SQLite backend for quick deployment

(github.com)

Use Cases

• Personal note-taking with Markdown and images for users who prefer self-hosting
• Shared lists and collaborative checklists for small teams or households
• Lightweight, installable PWA for mobile/desktop note access without third-party cloud

(github.com)

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses SQLite (better-sqlite3) as a single-file database which simplifies setup but limits horizontal scaling and multi-node deployments
• PWA behavior and some UI nuances can vary by browser and platform; testing required for target devices

(github.com)

Glass Keep is a focused, practical alternative to cloud note services for users who want markdown, media attachments and collaborative lists while keeping full control of their data. It is distributed as source (GitHub) and a Docker image for straightforward self-hosting.

Wiki-Go is a modern, databaseless flat-file wiki platform built with Go. It stores content as Markdown in a flat-file structure and offers features for knowledge bases, documentation, and collaboration without requiring an external database.

Key Features

• Full Markdown editing with emoji, Mermaid diagrams, and LaTeX math
• Smart full-text search with highlighting and advanced filters
• Hierarchical page structure with version history
• User management, access control, and private wiki mode
• Comments with moderation and markdown support
• No external database; file-based storage, easy backups
• Instant setup via Docker or prebuilt binaries
• Custom logos, banners, shortcodes, and more
• Link management with automatic metadata fetching and categorization
• Interactive Kanban boards for project management

Use Cases

• Team documentation and internal wikis for product teams
• Public documentation portals and knowledge bases
• Personal knowledge bases and collaborative projects

Limitations and Considerations

• Non-SSL setups require allow_insecure_cookies: true; this reduces security and should only be used in trusted networks; TLS is recommended for production.
• Default admin credentials exist; change them immediately after first login to secure the wiki.

Conclusion

Wiki-Go provides a lightweight, self-contained wiki workflow with Markdown-centric content, easy deployment via Docker or binaries, and no external database dependencies, making it suitable for teams and individuals for knowledge management.

Poznote is a lightweight personal note-taking and documentation platform designed for self-hosted deployment. It provides both rich-text and Markdown editing, supports workspaces and public sharing, and ships as a multi-arch Docker image for easy deployment.

Key Features

• Rich text and Markdown editors with task lists, math rendering, Mermaid diagrams and Excalidraw integration
• Full-text search and tag-based organization; file attachments and trash system
• Workspaces, multi-instance support and public note sharing
• Authentication via local username/password and optional OpenID Connect (OIDC) / SSO integration
• Built-in backup/restore, REST API for automation and MCP server support
• Docker Compose multi-arch deployment with default HTTP port 8040 and configurable environment settings

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base and note-taking for individuals or small teams
• Self-hosted documentation portal for projects or internal tools
• Quick deployment of a searchable, shareable documentation site with SSO integration

Limitations and Considerations

• Default deployments use a file-based database (SQLite), which can limit concurrency and scalability for large multi-user installations
• Docker volume permission and SELinux issues are documented; administrators may need to set ownership (UID 82/www-data) or use volume flags to avoid permission errors
• Import limits (number of files per import / ZIP size) are configurable but default values may require adjustment for large migrations

Poznote is focused on simplicity and ease of deployment while providing essential documentation and note-taking features. It is suitable for users who want a lightweight, self-hosted knowledge platform with optional SSO and straightforward Docker-based installation.

Mycorrhiza Wiki is a lightweight wiki engine that stores content as plain files and keeps history in Git. It is implemented in Go and uses a custom markup language called Mycomarkup, targeting personal wikis, digital gardens and small-team knowledge bases. (mycorrhiza.wiki)

Key Features

• Filesystem-backed content (no database) with Git-based history and web feeds (RSS/Atom/JSON). (mycorrhiza.wiki)
• Content model built around "hyphae": modular content units that can transclude and link each other.
• Mycomarkup as the primary, unambiguous markup format for authoring.
• Keyboard-driven navigation and shortcuts for power users.
• Optional authorization (username/password and Telegram login widget) and Open Graph meta support.
• Interwiki support and simple deployment: a one-liner initializes a Git repo, prepopulates config and runs a server (default :1737); repository contains Dockerfile and build artifacts. (github.com)

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base, digital garden or commonplace book for individuals.
• Documentation or lightweight wiki for small teams and communities.
• Public or private instances where Git-based history and file-editability are desired.

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses a custom markup (Mycomarkup) rather than CommonMark/Markdown; this may require learning different syntax.
• Reliant on Git for history and workflows, which assumes users or administrators are comfortable with Git operations.

Mycorrhiza is a focused, minimal wiki engine that emphasizes plain-file content, Git provenance and a connective "hyphae" model for building hypermedia documents. It is well-suited where simple deployment, file-editability and Git history are priorities. (mycorrhiza.wiki)

Markopolis is a web application and API server that publishes Markdown notes as websites while exposing a REST API to manage and interact with those notes programmatically. It is designed for personal knowledge bases and simple documentation sites, with an emphasis on Obsidian-compatible Markdown and easy self-hosting.

Key Features

• Publish a folder of Markdown files as a website with instant rendering and theme support
• REST API to upload, list, and retrieve Markdown content and document sections
• Obsidian-flavored Markdown compatibility (callouts, equations, code highlighting)
• Full-text fuzzy search across the notes vault
• CLI and Python package for automating uploads and publishing workflows
• Docker images and docker-compose examples for simple deployment
• API key protection for endpoints and simple site configuration via environment variables

Use Cases

• Host and publish a personal notes vault or Obsidian vault as a searchable website
• Drive static sites or custom frontends by consuming Markdown content through the REST API
• Lightweight documentation site for projects or teams that prefer Markdown-first workflows

Limitations and Considerations

• Relies on a PocketBase-backed datastore (SQLite by default), which may limit scalability for very large deployments
• CLI requires Python 3.12 or newer for some tooling and automation features
• Focused on personal/technical documentation use cases; advanced multi-tenant user management and enterprise access controls are limited

Markopolis is intended for users who want a simple, extensible Markdown publishing platform with an API-first approach. It balances quick setup and practical API access for building custom frontends or automations around Markdown notes.