Obsidian
Notes app using Markdown files stored on your device, with links between notes and extensions. Free for personal use; sync and publishing as paid options.
Markdown notes in a folder, with search, tags and links between notes, are easy to build and keep your files readable everywhere. What you lose: the graph view of links, the ecosystem of thousands of extensions and encrypted sync across all your devices. If you only use notes and links, replaceable.
What you lose
- The ecosystem of extensions
- The graph view of links between notes
- Encrypted sync between devices
- Regular updates and the community
Existing alternatives to Obsidian
- LogseqOpen source
Free note-taking (AGPL-3.0) in local files, with links between notes and a daily journal.
The prompt to build it yourself
Build me a Markdown notes app for my personal use, without claiming to replace Obsidian. Stack: installable web app (PWA), Node or Next.js, notes stored as .md files in a folder on my server. To do: - Markdown editor with preview, note creation and renaming, folders. - Links between notes with the [[note name]] syntax, list of notes that point to the open note. - Tags and fast full-text search. - Daily notes created in one click. - Export of the whole folder as an archive; the files stay readable without the app. - Simple authentication, daily backup; tests on link parsing; README with the limits. Out of scope: extensions, graph view, end-to-end encrypted sync.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Obsidian be replaced by a custom-built tool?
- casevibecode verdict: Partly replaceable. Markdown notes in a folder, with search, tags and links between notes, are easy to build and keep your files readable everywhere. What you lose: the graph view of links, the ecosystem of thousands of extensions and encrypted sync across all your devices. If you only use notes and links, replaceable.
- What is Obsidian used for?
- Notes app using Markdown files stored on your device, with links between notes and extensions. Free for personal use; sync and publishing as paid options.
- What alternatives to Obsidian already exist?
- Logseq (open source). Options to compare before committing to a custom build.
Community feedback
Readers tell what they built instead of this tool, or what broke along the way. Every entry is reviewed before publication.
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