siyuan-note/siyuan - Detailed Review#

1. Overview & GitHub Stats#

• URL: https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan
• Stars: 36779

2. Project Description#

Siyuan Note is a cutting-edge, privacy-first personal knowledge management software that combines the power of TypeScript and Golang to deliver a seamless, self-hosted note-taking experience. Unlike cloud-based solutions, Siyuan prioritizes user data sovereignty by enabling complete local storage and synchronization across devices without relying on third-party servers. Its block-based editing system allows for flexible organization of ideas, while supporting rich media integration, making it an ideal tool for researchers, writers, and anyone looking to manage their digital thoughts securely.

3. What Software Does It Replace?#

Siyuan Note serves as a robust alternative to several popular commercial and open source knowledge management tools, including:

• Notion: While Notion offers extensive collaboration features, Siyuan provides similar functionality with enhanced privacy and offline capabilities.
• Evernote: For users seeking a more customizable and self-hosted note-taking solution without subscription fees.
• Obsidian: Though Obsidian is also markdown-based and local-first, Siyuan differentiates with its real-time collaboration and built-in sync options.
• OneNote: Ideal for those who prefer open source software over Microsoft’s ecosystem.

4. Core Functionality#

Siyuan Note boasts a comprehensive set of features designed for efficient knowledge management:

• Block-Based Editing: Organize content in customizable blocks, similar to Notion, allowing for dynamic document structures.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple users can edit documents simultaneously when hosted on a private server.
• End-to-End Encryption: Secure your notes with encryption, ensuring that only authorized users can access them.
• Cross-Platform Sync: Synchronize notes across devices using self-hosted or cloud storage solutions like WebDAV.
• Rich Media Support: Embed images, videos, audio, and code snippets seamlessly into your notes.
• Graph View: Visualize connections between notes with an interactive graph, helping to uncover relationships between ideas.
• Template System: Use pre-built templates for journals, project plans, and more to speed up note creation.

5. Pros and Cons#

6. Detailed Installation Guide (Self-host)#

Follow these steps to self-host Siyuan Note on an Ubuntu server (22.04 LTS or later). This guide assumes you have sudo privileges and a basic understanding of Linux commands.

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sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
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sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose -y
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sudo systemctl enable docker
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sudo systemctl start docker

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mkdir ~/siyuan && cd ~/siyuan

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version: '3'
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services:
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  siyuan:
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    image: b3log/siyuan:latest
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    container_name: siyuan
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    restart: unless-stopped
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    ports:
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      - "6806:6806"
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    volumes:
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      - ./data:/opt/siyuan/data
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    environment:
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      - TZ=UTC

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sudo docker-compose up -d

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sudo apt install nginx -y
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sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/siyuan

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server {
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    listen 80;
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    server_name your-domain.com;
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    location / {
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        proxy_pass http://localhost:6806;
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        proxy_set_header Host $host;
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        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
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    }
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}

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sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/siyuan /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
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sudo nginx -t
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sudo systemctl restart nginx

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sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
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sudo certbot --nginx -d your-domain.com