Obsidian vs SiYuan
Side-by-side comparison for macOS
Obsidian
8.0Knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files
SiYuan
8.0Local-first personal knowledge management system
| Metric | Obsidian | SiYuan |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| AI Score | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| 30-day Installs | 26.2K | 150 |
| 90-day Installs | 61.9K | 424 |
| 365-day Installs | 131.4K | 1.3K |
| Version | 1.12.7 | 3.6.5 |
| Auto-updates | Yes | Yes |
| Deprecated | No | No |
| GitHub Stars | 15.5K | 41.8K |
| GitHub Forks | 5.6K | 2.6K |
| Open Issues | 1.5K | 350 |
| License | — | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | — | TypeScript |
| Last GitHub Commit | 1mo ago | 1mo ago |
| First Seen | May 27, 2020 | May 5, 2021 |
Reviews
Obsidian
Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that organizes plain text Markdown files, offering extensive plugins and integrations. It benefits productivity-focused users who prefer a flexible, local-first approach to note-taking and information management.
Obsidian is a knowledge base that organizes and enhances plain text Markdown files with rich features and plugins.
Pros
- + Works with local Markdown files, offering flexibility and control
- + Extensive plugin ecosystem for customization
- + Introduction of CLI and TUI enhances accessibility
Cons
- - Steep learning curve for new users
- - Limited cloud sync features compared to competitors
SiYuan
SiYuan is a local-first, privacy-focused personal knowledge management system that allows users to organize and collaborate on content in real time. It supports Markdown and offers a block-based editor for flexible content creation. Ideal for writers, researchers, and anyone seeking a decentralized, self-hosted solution for note-taking and knowledge management.
SiYuan enables users to create, organize, and collaborate on personal notes and documents locally with Markdown support and real-time updates.
Pros
- + Local-first operation ensures privacy and data control.
- + Markdown support for seamless content creation and formatting.
- + Block-based editor offers flexibility in organizing and linking content.
Cons
- - A large number of open GitHub issues may indicate areas needing refinement.
- - While open-source, the AGPL-3.0 license could be a consideration for some users.