I’ve relied on Obsidian for years, so finding an alternative that impressed me wasn’t something I expected. Every time I looked around, the same names came up, but none of them offered enough to make me rethink my setup. I recently came across an app that felt refreshingly different. Instead of trying to copy Obsidian, it takes its own approach knowledge management adhering to the local-first philosophy I value. After spending time with it, I realized that it removes a few frustrations I didn’t even know I had, making it the most interesting Obsidian alternative I’ve tested in a long time.
Logseq and Joplin aren’t the Obsidian replacements I’m looking for
I like the Logseq blocks, but not the whole experience
I tried both Joplin and Logseq when I was looking for an Obsidian alternative, but neither convinced me to make the switch. Joplin is solid open source notes softwareand I like his simple approach. However, the notebook and note structure seems too traditional for how I manage information now. It works well for keeping notes, but I want to connect ideas and reuse information across my database. Joplin never contacted me about it.
Logseq is much closer to what I want. I already use it with Obsidianmainly for journaling and capturing ideas quickly. I love how everything is organized into blocks and how easy it is to refer to a particular idea elsewhere. My problem is the outline-first approach. It works great for quick notes, but longer research papers often turn into endless bullet points. I wanted Logseq’s block-based flexibility with a more traditional writing experience, and no program gave me that.
SiYuan’s block-based approach clicked immediately
I can reuse information without creating more records
The first thing that struck me about SiYuan was how naturally he handled blocks. Each paragraph, heading, list, and other piece of content is treated as an individual block with its own ID. I can link to a specific paragraph from another document instead of pointing to an entire note. It’s really useful for my research-heavy workflow.
If I’m researching a self-hosted application and writing important details about its Docker installation. I may need the same information for a comparison article in a few weeks. In SiYuan, I can reference that block in my new document. I don’t have to copy the text, search for the original note every time, or create another little note just for that detail.
It also keeps my workplace cleaner. I can usually write detailed documents, but individual ideas are easy to find and reference. What I want without changing the way I write is a block-based workflow.
It feels more like a full workspace than a Markdown editor
I don’t need to install a plugin for every new workflow
SiYuan has a lot to offer out of the box. With Obsidian, I’ve spent a lot of time finding plugins, configuring them, and slowly building the setup I use today. SiYuan feels more complete since I installed it. Features like backlinks, graphical view, document history, templates and diary entries are already built-in.
The database feature is a good example. I can create an attribute view and organize my blog ideas by publication, status, or app I’m testing. I can switch between table, board and gallery views depending on how I want to see the same information. At Obsidian, I usually refer Dataview or Base plugin to set up a similar setup. I still love how customizable Obsidian is, but SiYuan requires less work. Instead of building my Notes app piecemeal, I can focus on using it.
SiYuan gives me more control over my personal records
I can keep my entire knowledge base to myself
Privacy is another reason why SiYuan fits my setup so well. My notes include article research, random thoughts, personal documents, and information I’ve collected over the years. I don’t want it all stored in the cloud because I need to access my notes on another device. SiYuan stores my data locally and I can use the app without depending on the cloud service.
SiYuan became even more interesting to me. It has an official Docker image, so I can run it on my hardware and access the web interface from my browser. I already it hosts several applications itselfAdding SiYuan to my Docker installation was pretty straightforward.
More importantly, I decide where my data lives and how it is backed up. I can host the server on my network or set up remote access on my terms. Obsidian is already great for on-premises notes, but SiYuan gives me a more complete self-managed workspace without forcing me to rely on someone else’s cloud.
The first Obsidian alternative that made me switch
Obsidian is still an important part of my workflow and I don’t see it leaving anytime soon. But SiYuan is the first alternative that made me think seriously about what I wanted from a recording software. It’s not trying to be an Obsidian clone. Instead, it requires a different approach to the way I work today. As modern privacy-focused knowledge management An app that goes beyond traditional recording, SiYuan is worth a try.
