What is NoteDiscovery used for?

NoteDiscovery is a lightweight self-hosted note-taking app that stores Markdown files on your own server, with search, optional password protection, and Docker deployment. It is a good fit for personal second brain on your own server and replacing Evernote or Notion for private notes.

Is NoteDiscovery open source?

Yes. NoteDiscovery is open source under the MIT licence. Its source code is on GitHub at gamosoft/NoteDiscovery and is written mainly in JavaScript.

Is NoteDiscovery free?

Yes. NoteDiscovery is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host NoteDiscovery?

Yes. NoteDiscovery can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.

What is NoteDiscovery an alternative to?

NoteDiscovery is an open-source alternative to Notion, Evernote and Obsidian. Other open-source alternatives to Notion include Trilium Notes, SiYuan and Poznote.

Is NoteDiscovery actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to NoteDiscovery was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v0.31.7, published on 28 September 2026. The project has 2.8k stars on GitHub.

NoteDiscovery: open-source alternative to Notion, Evernote

About NoteDiscovery

NoteDiscovery is a self-hosted note-taking application aimed at people who want full control of their knowledge base. You write, organize, and search notes through a modern web interface, while the notes themselves are plain Markdown files stored on your server. It is released under the MIT license.

The README contrasts it with commercial tools such as Notion, Evernote, and Obsidian Sync, emphasizing no subscription, data kept on your own server, and no lock-in because of plain files. All browser libraries are served locally, so the app and its shared links also work on air-gapped networks, and simple password protection can be turned on for self-hosted deployments.

It is built with Python and FastAPI plus a JavaScript front end and is deployed with Docker. It suits privacy-conscious users, developers who prefer Markdown, knowledge workers building a personal wiki or second brain, and small teams wanting a straightforward self-hosted alternative.

Key features

Markdown notes stored as plain files
Fast search and navigation
Optional password authentication
Works offline and on air-gapped networks
Docker deployment
Built on FastAPI and Python

Good fit for

→Personal second brain on your own server
→Replacing Evernote or Notion for private notes

Built with: JavaScript; Docker; FastAPI; Python
Tags: note-taking; markdown; knowledge-base; self-hosted; fastapi; docker; second-brain; privacy

NoteDiscovery: questions and answers

What is NoteDiscovery used for?: NoteDiscovery is a lightweight self-hosted note-taking app that stores Markdown files on your own server, with search, optional password protection, and Docker deployment. It is a good fit for personal second brain on your own server and replacing Evernote or Notion for private notes.
Is NoteDiscovery open source?: Yes. NoteDiscovery is open source under the MIT licence. Its source code is on GitHub at gamosoft/NoteDiscovery and is written mainly in JavaScript.
Is NoteDiscovery free?: Yes. NoteDiscovery is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host NoteDiscovery?: Yes. NoteDiscovery can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.
What is NoteDiscovery an alternative to?: NoteDiscovery is an open-source alternative to Notion, Evernote and Obsidian. Other open-source alternatives to Notion include Trilium Notes, SiYuan and Poznote.
Is NoteDiscovery actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to NoteDiscovery was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v0.31.7, published on 28 September 2026. The project has 2.8k stars on GitHub.