AI Tools

SiYuan: Privacy-First Self-Hosted Knowledge Management

SiYuan: Privacy-First Self-Hosted Knowledge Management

SiYuan is a privacy-first, self-hosted personal knowledge management system featuring block-level referencing, end-to-end encryption, and a rich set of content types for building a comprehensive digital knowledge base.

Features

Block-Level Architecture

Fine-grained block-based content model where every paragraph, heading, list item, and code block is individually addressable, linkable, and embeddable across your knowledge base.

Content Blocks

Rich content types including documents, tables, math equations, diagrams (Mermaid, PlantUML), code blocks with syntax highlighting, and embedded media for diverse knowledge representation.

Automatic backlink tracking and graph visualization for discovering connections between ideas, with support for block-level references and transclusion.

Database Tables

Spreadsheet-like database views for structured data management within your knowledge base, supporting relations, rollups, and multiple view types.

End-to-End Encryption

Built-in end-to-end encrypted cloud synchronization ensuring your knowledge base remains private even when synced across devices.

Self-Hosted Deployment

Full self-hosting capability via Docker with support for WebDAV, S3-compatible storage, and local file system backends for complete data sovereignty.

Key Capabilities

  • Local-First: Data stored locally with optional encrypted cloud sync
  • Full-Text Search: Fast search across all content with filtering and sorting
  • Templates: Reusable content templates for consistent knowledge capture
  • Flashcards: Built-in spaced repetition system for active recall learning
  • PDF Export: High-quality document export with customizable styling
  • API Access: Kernel API for automation and third-party integrations
  • Themes & Plugins: Community marketplace for extensions and customization

Best For

  • Privacy-conscious users who require self-hosted knowledge management
  • Professionals managing complex documentation with structured data
  • Researchers needing block-level referencing and citation management
  • Teams seeking a self-hosted alternative to cloud-based note tools
  • Users who need end-to-end encrypted synchronization across devices

Access

  • Free and open-source (42k+ GitHub stars)
  • Desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Mobile apps for iOS and Android
  • Docker image for self-hosted deployment
  • Optional SiYuan Cloud for managed sync

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