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Trilium Notes product preview

Trilium Notes

Hierarchical personal knowledge base with scripting and self-hosted sync.

Type
Notes & Docsknowledge-basehierarchicalscriptable
Hosting
Self-hostable
License
AGPL-3.0

Quick verdict

Use when

Use when you need a large, tree-structured PKM you can self-host and extend with scripts.

Skip when

Skip when you need a fully managed SaaS with zero operations work.

Try instead

Trilium Notes vs common alternatives

Stable selection factors from this listing—focus, hosting, license, and access. Confirm live details on each official site.

Trilium NotesThis page

Focus
Hierarchical personal knowledge base with scripting and self-hosted sync.
Hosting
Self-hostable
License
AGPL-3.0

Notion

Focus
All-in-one workspace for docs, databases, and wikis.
Hosting
Commercial SaaS
License
Proprietary (typical SaaS)

Evernote

Focus
Note-taking app with sync, search, and web clipper.
Hosting
Commercial SaaS
License
Proprietary (typical SaaS)

Inkdrop

Focus
Commercial Markdown notebook aimed at developers.
Hosting
Commercial SaaS
License
Proprietary (typical SaaS)
DimensionTrilium NotesNotionEvernoteInkdrop
FocusHierarchical personal knowledge base with scripting and self-hosted sync.All-in-one workspace for docs, databases, and wikis.Note-taking app with sync, search, and web clipper.Commercial Markdown notebook aimed at developers.
HostingSelf-hostableCommercial SaaSCommercial SaaSCommercial SaaS
LicenseAGPL-3.0Proprietary (typical SaaS)Proprietary (typical SaaS)Proprietary (typical SaaS)
AccessWebsite + GitHubwww.notion.soevernote.comwww.inkdrop.app

What is Trilium Notes?

Trilium Notes is an open-source Notes & Docs project. Hierarchical personal knowledge base with scripting and self-hosted sync. OpenElse lists it as an alternative to Notion, Evernote, Inkdrop, with self-hostable deployment and AGPL-3.0 licensing. Confirm live features, hosting options, and terms on the official site and repository.

What Trilium Notes provides

Core signals from this OpenElse listing—verify depth on the official site.

  • Open-source codebase

    Source is published on GitHub at github.com/TriliumNext/Trilium.

  • Self-hostable

    You can run it on your own infrastructure.

  • AGPL-3.0 license

    Distributed under AGPL-3.0. Read the license text before production use.

  • Workflow tags

    OpenElse tags this listing for knowledge-base, hierarchical, scriptable.

  • SaaS replacement mapping

    Mapped as an open-source option when evaluating replacements for those commercial products.

How to evaluate Trilium Notes

A practical path from this directory page to a decision.

  1. Scan this listing

    Review the one-liner, self-host status, license, and “when to pick it” note for Trilium Notes.

  2. Open the official site

    Visit triliumnotes.org for product docs, demos, and current feature scope.

  3. Check the repository

    Use GitHub for release cadence, issues, stars, and deployment docs before you commit.

  4. Compare siblings

    Open other OpenElse tools in the same category or mapped to the same SaaS to see trade-offs.

Who Trilium Notes is for

  • Teams leaving Notion / Evernote / Inkdrop

    Use when you need a large, tree-structured PKM you can self-host and extend with scripts.

  • Operators who want data control

    Trilium Notes is listed as self-hostable on OpenElse.

  • Notes & Docs buyers

    Wikis, knowledge bases, and collaborative docs that replace Notion-style SaaS.

When Trilium Notes is the right pick

Use when you need a large, tree-structured PKM you can self-host and extend with scripts. Skip when you need a fully managed SaaS with zero operations work.

Licensing and platform notes

Facts to verify on the official site before you depend on a workflow.

Self-host status
Self-hostable on this listing. Verify install paths and supported environments in the project docs.
License
AGPL-3.0. Confirm obligations for SaaS, embedding, and redistribution before shipping.
Source of truth
Features and terms are defined on triliumnotes.org and the GitHub repository—not on this page.
Affiliation
This route is a curated OpenElse listing at /tools/trilium. It is not the official Trilium Notes product site.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about this listing—open a question to read more.

Is Trilium Notes open source?

Yes. OpenElse lists Trilium Notes as an open-source project under AGPL-3.0. Review the license file in the repository for exact terms.

Can I self-host Trilium Notes?

Yes. OpenElse marks Trilium Notes as self-hostable. Follow the official docs for install and operations.

What does Trilium Notes replace?

Trilium Notes is mapped on OpenElse as an open-source alternative to Notion, Evernote, Inkdrop. Use when you need a large, tree-structured PKM you can self-host and extend with scripts.

Is this the official Trilium Notes website?

No. This is a OpenElse directory page. The official site is https://triliumnotes.org, and the source repository is https://github.com/TriliumNext/Trilium.

Where can I find Trilium Notes source code?

The public repository linked from this listing is https://github.com/TriliumNext/Trilium.