Notes & writing
Notes and Knowledge Bases: Local-First or Collaboration-First
Choose the data shape first — plain text, blocks or database — then the interface. A wrong shape makes migration the biggest cost.
The real difference between note tools is not the editor but how data is stored, whether it exports cleanly, and how conflicts resolve. This list prioritizes data portability so files remain openable a decade later, before backlinks and AI.
Shortlist（7）
- logseq · 深度导读卡 ¥2.9AGPL-3.0 · Clojure · ★45.5k
A representative of block references and bidirectional links, suited to association-driven personal knowledge bases.
- siyuan · 深度导读卡 ¥2.9AGPL-3.0 · TypeScript · ★47.1k
Block-level structure with local storage for people who want to own the data files.
- memos · 深度导读卡 ¥2.9MIT · Go · ★64.3k
Lightweight self-hosted capture, good for separating fleeting notes from long-form knowledge.
- reor · 深度导读卡 ¥4.9AGPL-3.0 · JavaScript · ★8.5k · Likely unmaintained
Local-first with semantic retrieval, suitable for incremental use when you already have a lot of Markdown.
- AppFlowy · 深度导读卡 ¥3.9AGPL-3.0 · Dart · ★78.2k
Blocks plus databases for project notes that need board or table views.
- docmost · 深度导读卡 ¥3.9AGPL-3.0 · TypeScript · ★22.2k
A team-oriented collaborative wiki for promoting personal notes into shared spaces.
- jekyll · 深度导读卡 ¥2.9MIT · Ruby · ★51.7k
Publishes Markdown as a site, better for public output than private accumulation.
Test export first
Before committing, import a hundred real notes and export everything once, checking links, attachments and hierarchy survive. Do not bet long-term on a tool that cannot export.
Separate capture from knowledge
Capture optimizes for low friction; a knowledge base optimizes for retrieval. One structure for both usually serves neither.
Rehearse collaboration conflicts
When two people edit the same paragraph, does the tool merge, lock or overwrite? Rehearse with test accounts before rolling out to a team.
Common pitfalls
Common traps: attachments in proprietary folders, cloud sync as the only backup, messy link naming making graphs unreadable, and losing block references during migration.
Alternatives
For just todos and meeting notes, the built-in notes app plus plain-text archive may be steadier; complex tools suit long-term structured accumulation.