Software Alternatives & Startups

Trilium Notes VS DevNotes

Compare Trilium Notes VS DevNotes and see what are their differences

Trilium Notes

Trilium Notes is a hierarchical note taking application.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
DevNotes

Devnotes is a note taking application made for developers

No screenshot yet
Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Trilium Notes seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 116 times since March 2021.

social mentions
116 vs 0
Note Taking popularity
97% vs 3%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 21

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Trilium Notes
DevNotes
Website github.com github.com
Pricing
Open source
Company Startup from the Czech Republic
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Trilium Notes 7 features
DevNotes 5 features
  • Hierarchical Note Organization
    Trilium Notes allows complex, hierarchical organization of notes, helping users manage and navigate their information more efficiently.
  • Rich Text Editing
    It supports rich text formatting, which enables users to create well-structured and visually appealing notes, including tables, images, and code snippets.
  • Dynamic Note Linking
    Notes can be dynamically linked, which helps in creating a web of knowledge and improving information retrieval.
  • Cross-Platform
    Trilium Notes is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring users can access their notes from any system.
  • Version Control
    The application provides version control for notes, allowing users to track changes and revert to previous versions if necessary.
  • Encryption
    Trilium supports encryption for sensitive notes, ensuring that users’ confidential information remains secure.
  • Extensive Scripting and Automation
    Users can extend and automate functionalities through JavaScript-based scripts, making the system highly customizable and efficient.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complex Setup
    Initial setup can be complex for non-technical users, as it might require knowledge of server hosting and configuring local instances.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    The rich feature set and flexibility can result in a steeper learning curve, making it intimidating for new users.
  • Lack of Mobile Application
    Trilium Notes does not have a dedicated mobile application, which can limit accessibility and usability for users who rely on mobile devices.
  • Performance Issues with Large Databases
    Users with very large databases may experience performance issues, impacting usability and speed.
  • Limited Online Collaboration
    Trilium Notes does not offer robust online collaboration features, which can be a drawback for users who need real-time collaborative editing capabilities.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source application, it primarily relies on community support, which might not be as responsive or comprehensive as dedicated technical support.
  • Simple CLI Tool
    DevNotes is a straightforward command-line tool for managing developer notes, making it easy to quickly jot down and retrieve notes without leaving the terminal.
  • Homebrew Installation
    The project is distributed as a Homebrew tap, making installation on macOS (and Linux with Homebrew) simple with just a couple of brew commands.
  • Lightweight
    As a minimal CLI note-taking tool, it has very few dependencies and doesn't require heavy resources or complex setup, keeping it fast and unobtrusive.
  • Developer-Focused Workflow
    Designed specifically for developers, it fits naturally into a terminal-based workflow, allowing quick capture of thoughts, TODOs, or code-related notes without context switching.
  • Open Source
    The project is open source on GitHub, allowing users to inspect the code, contribute improvements, and customize it to their own needs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Documentation
    The repository has minimal documentation, which can make it difficult for new users to understand all available features, commands, and configuration options.
  • Small Community
    The project appears to have a very small user base and limited community support, meaning fewer resources for troubleshooting and slower development progress.
  • Limited Features
    Compared to more established note-taking tools, DevNotes offers a basic feature set and lacks advanced capabilities like search, tagging, syncing, or rich formatting.
  • macOS/Homebrew Dependency
    Distribution primarily through Homebrew limits accessibility for users on systems where Homebrew is not available or commonly used, such as Windows.
  • Early Stage / Low Maturity
    The project appears to be in an early stage of development with limited commit history and contributions, which may raise concerns about long-term maintenance and stability.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Trilium Notes
DevNotes

Overall verdict

  • Trilium Notes is a solid choice for users who need a highly customizable and organized note-taking solution, particularly those comfortable with open-source software. Its rich features and flexibility make it ideal for power users and those looking to organize large volumes of notes.

Why this product is good

  • Trilium Notes is considered good because it offers a powerful note-taking environment with hierarchical structure, which allows for advanced organization of notes. It also supports rich text formatting, scripting, note versioning, and has encryption features to secure sensitive information. Additionally, Trilium is open-source, which means its development and feature set are guided by a community of users committed to improving the software.

Recommended for

    Trilium Notes is recommended for users who need detailed organization tools, enjoy customization, or have programming skills to leverage its scripting features. It is also suitable for privacy-conscious users who require encryption and for those who appreciate open-source platforms where they can contribute to the software's development.

Overall verdict

  • DevNotes is a solid, lightweight note-taking tool for developers who want a fast, organized way to capture code snippets and technical notes without the bloat of larger applications.

Why this product is good

  • Designed specifically for developers with support for code syntax highlighting and markdown
  • Lightweight and fast, avoiding the overhead of feature-heavy note apps
  • Simple tagging and organization to quickly retrieve snippets and references
  • Often open source, allowing customization and community contributions
  • Good for keeping personal knowledge bases and quick reference material

Recommended for

  • Software developers who frequently save and reuse code snippets
  • Individuals wanting a minimal, distraction-free note-taking tool
  • Users who prefer markdown-based documentation and technical notes
  • People building a personal knowledge base for programming references
  • Those who value open-source and customizable tools

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Trilium Notes 1 video + Add
DevNotes 0 videos + Add

Steam Play for Linux, Ubuntu Touch, Flatpak 1.0, Kali, Trilium Notes & more | This Week in Linux 35

No DevNotes videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Trilium Notes
DevNotes
97% 97%
3% 3%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Trilium Notes and DevNotes. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Log in or Post with

Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Trilium Notes no reviews yet
DevNotes no reviews yet

We have no reviews of DevNotes yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Trilium Notes 116 mentions
DevNotes 0 mentions

View more

Tracking DevNotes since Mar 2026.

Alternatives to Trilium Notes and DevNotes

When comparing Trilium Notes and DevNotes, you can also consider the following products.