SilverBullet

Open source alternative to Obsidian, Notion, Roam Research and Confluence

6.5K stars
MIT
Active this week
Last commit today

Last verified Nov 5, 2026

Build a programmable markdown knowledge base with wiki-style links, Lua scripting, and built-in queries for personal notes, team wikis, or docs.

Visit website GitHub6.5K Deploy on Hostinger

Read the full breakdownWho it is for, how it works, trade-offs, the quick start and the FAQ

who it's for

Who SilverBullet is for#

Developers managing technical notes and project knowledge

SilverBullet's combination of markdown, git-compatible plain files, and Space Lua fits developers who want their notes in the same workflow as their code. Open a git repository's docs folder as a space, write notes next to the code, and query across the whole space using the built-in query language.

Skip if:

You need a Jira-style project tracker or Kanban board with ticket dependencies. SilverBullet's task support is for personal tasks, not project management with cross-linked issues.

Small teams running a shared wiki

The server deployment gives teams a shared space with real-time edits, @mention task assignment, and comments. Architecture decisions, sprint notes, and runbooks stay in one place accessible from any browser or mobile device.

Skip if:

Your organization requires SSO, fine-grained permission levels (edit vs view per page), or audit logs. SilverBullet's current auth model is simpler than enterprise wiki platforms.

Researchers and writers building a linked knowledge base

Bi-directional linking and the graph view surface connections that plain folder hierarchies do not. The query language lets you build live reading lists, link maps, and research summaries directly in your notes without a separate database tool.

Skip if:

You need collaborative annotation or multi-user concurrent editing with conflict resolution. SilverBullet works best when one person owns a space or when coordination happens asynchronously.

Teams writing docs-as-code

Open a git repository's docs folder as a SilverBullet space, write documentation in markdown, review it in pull requests, and optionally publish it as a static site. The documentation stays next to the code it describes and is versioned with git.

Skip if:

You need a docs platform with versioned API references, search indexing, and a hosted site out of the box. SilverBullet handles the editing and structure; publishing requires additional setup.

the problem

The problem it solves#

Most knowledge management tools force a tradeoff. Plain markdown editors give you portable files but no interconnections. A folder of notes has no way to query what links to what, no live tasks aggregated across pages, and no structured data without a separate spreadsheet. Database-style tools like Notion and Confluence give you queries and blocks, but your data lives on their servers, locked behind per-seat pricing, and difficult to migrate when you decide to leave.

The result is fragmented knowledge. Meeting decisions end up in Confluence. Quick notes end up in Notion. Code-adjacent documentation ends up in a git repo. These systems do not talk to each other, and moving between them means lossy exports and months of reorganization. Tools like Roam Research built on a unique data model make portability worse. When you leave their system, there is no clean path to standard markdown.

how SilverBullet solves it

How it solves it#

Wiki-style bi-directional links

Every page shows the other pages that mention it. Write a link once and both sides of the connection are recorded. When you revisit a note months later, all the pages that referenced it surface automatically, turning individual notes into connected knowledge.

Space Lua scripting environment

The built-in Lua dialect lives in your space like any other page. Use it to write custom commands, build page templates, create widgets, or generate content dynamically. Scripting is not a plugin layer bolted on; it is the same runtime the built-in features use.

Built-in query language (SLIQ)

The SLIQ query language lets you write a few lines of Space Lua directly in a page to pull every tagged book, all open tasks across projects, or decisions still pending. Results update live when the underlying notes change.

Live-preview markdown editor

The editor renders markdown as you type, so formatting is visible without toggling between raw text and preview modes. For structured writing, there is also an outliner mode with collapsible hierarchy.

Multiple deployment modes

Run SilverBullet as a Docker container for browser-based access from any device, or as a native desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux that keeps data local. Desktop and server can sync, so you can combine both and switch later.

Plain-file data model

Notes live as ordinary markdown files in a folder on disk, alongside images and PDFs. Open them in any editor, put them in git, back them up with any tool. The data is not locked to SilverBullet's format.

strengths · trade-offs

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

MIT license with full self-hostingSilverBullet is MIT licensed and self-hosted, so you can run it on your own hardware, modify it, and use it commercially with no restrictions. Unlike Notion or Confluence, there are no per-seat fees and no data leaves your infrastructure.
No proprietary formatYour notes are plain markdown in an ordinary folder. If SilverBullet stopped working tomorrow, your knowledge would still be there, readable in any text editor, importable to any other tool, or versionable in git without an export step.
In-space scripting, not a plugin APISpace Lua scripts live in your space as regular pages and use the same runtime as the core features. You can read, write, and query any part of your space from a script, which makes customization far deeper than a typical plugin system allows.
Active development with 178 contributorsThe repository has 178 contributors and has been in active development since February 2022, with the last commit on 2026-11-04. With 6,457 GitHub stars and 528 forks, the project has an established contributor base outside the core maintainers.

Trade-offs

-356 open issuesThe project has 356 open issues. Some users report rough edges in the mobile browser experience and intermittent sync behavior. These are actively worked through, but expect occasional instability on the edges of supported features.
-Full scripting requires learning Space LuaThe query and scripting features that differentiate SilverBullet most from plain markdown editors require writing Lua. For users who want note-taking without any scripting, the tool still works as a wiki, but the most distinctive capabilities are behind a learning curve.
-Source builds require Rust and Node.js 24+Building SilverBullet from source requires both Rust (stable) and Node.js 24+. The official Docker image and desktop installers avoid this, but users who want to modify the codebase need both toolchains.

versus alternatives

SilverBullet vs alternatives#

SilverBullet vs Notion

Notion is the leading commercial workspace platform, combining notes, databases, tasks, and wikis. SilverBullet focuses on programmable markdown and plain-file storage.

Feature	SilverBullet	Notion
License	MIT	Proprietary
Data storage	Local markdown files	Notion's servers
Self-hosting	Yes (Docker or desktop)	No
Scripting	Space Lua (built-in)	Formula fields, limited
Pricing	Free (self-hosted)	$10-$20/seat/month (notion.com/pricing)

SilverBullet is the better fit when data ownership matters, when you want your notes in git alongside code, or when you need deeper scripting than Notion's formula fields allow. Notion remains the stronger choice for teams that need Kanban boards, Jira-style project tracking, or structured databases with relation and rollup fields without writing any code.

SilverBullet vs Obsidian

Both SilverBullet and Obsidian use local markdown files and support bi-directional links. Obsidian offers desktop and mobile apps free for personal use; Sync ($4/user/month billed annually) and Publish ($8/site/month billed annually) are paid add-ons, and commercial use requires a separate license ($50/user/year). See obsidian.md/pricing (checked 2026-11-05). SilverBullet includes a server mode accessible from any browser; the desktop app syncs to the server without a paid add-on. Space Lua scripting runs server-side and can query and modify your space programmatically.

Feature	SilverBullet	Obsidian
License	MIT	Free (personal use)
Server / browser access	Yes	No
Sync	Built-in (desktop to server)	Paid add-on ($4/user/mo)
Scripting	Space Lua (built-in)	JavaScript plugins
Bi-directional links	Yes	Yes

Obsidian is worth choosing if you want a large existing plugin ecosystem, mobile apps with offline sync, or a more polished desktop and mobile editor. SilverBullet is the better choice for self-hosting the server for multi-device access without a paid sync add-on.

SilverBullet vs Confluence

Confluence is Atlassian's enterprise wiki platform, commonly used alongside Jira. SilverBullet addresses a similar use case at team scale but with a different deployment and cost model.

Feature	SilverBullet	Confluence
License	MIT	Proprietary
Self-hosting	Yes (Docker)	Yes (Data Center, expensive)
Cost	Free	$5.78+/user/month (Standard, atlassian.com/software/confluence/pricing)
Integration	Markdown, git	Jira, Atlassian suite

Confluence is the better fit for large organizations already in the Atlassian ecosystem that need tight Jira integration, audit logs, and enterprise SSO. SilverBullet fits smaller teams or individuals who want the structure of a wiki without the cost and complexity of Confluence's enterprise model.

install · quick start

Quick start#

bash

Deploy SilverBullet as a Docker server with your data folder mounted at /data.
```bash
docker run -p 3000:3000 -v /path/to/data:/data silverbullet
```

tech stack · detected from GitHub

What it's built on#

Languages: LuaRustTypeScript
Tooling: esbuild

frequently asked

FAQ#

Is SilverBullet free to use?

Yes. SilverBullet Server and the sb CLI are MIT licensed and free to self-host on your own hardware. The desktop app is free for personal use. There are no per-seat charges, no paid tiers for core features, and no mandatory cloud subscription.

Can SilverBullet work offline?

Yes. The desktop app works fully offline, storing your space as markdown files on your machine. The server deployment is browser-based and requires network access to the host, but the host itself can run locally on your laptop. Your data is never required to leave your machine.

How does SilverBullet compare to Obsidian?

Both tools use local markdown files and support bi-directional links, but differ in architecture. Obsidian is a local-first app with desktop and mobile clients, free for personal use; Sync ($4/user/month billed annually) and Publish ($8/site/month billed annually) are paid add-ons, and commercial use requires a separate license (obsidian.md/pricing). SilverBullet includes a server mode usable from any browser, Space Lua scripting that runs server-side, and a built-in query language. SilverBullet is fully MIT licensed including the server; Obsidian Sync and Publish are commercial add-ons.

What is Space Lua?

Space Lua is SilverBullet's built-in Lua dialect. Scripts live in your space as regular markdown pages and can read, write, and query any part of your space. Use it to build custom commands, page templates, widgets, or live queries that update as your notes change. Scripts run in the same runtime as the built-in features, so scripted behavior is as capable as anything the app ships.

How hard is SilverBullet to self-host?

Self-hosting the server runs as a single Docker container. One command maps a local folder to the container and exposes port 3000. The desktop app needs no server setup. Building from source requires both Rust and Node.js 24+, but most users use the pre-built Docker image or desktop installer. For a team, you need a machine to run the container and optionally a reverse proxy for HTTPS.

Looking for more

Other ways to replace Obsidian, Notion, Roam Research and Confluence#

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AFFiNE

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41,170

Macro Docs

#4 in the Notion guide

Markdown-native docs that agents and teammates edit together

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All 28 Notion alternatives 9 open source Notion alternatives, ranked

by category

Open source tools in these categories#

270

Self-host SilverBullet on a Hostinger VPS

Keep it running 24/7, even when your laptop is off. A Hostinger VPS gives it a server of its own.

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SilverBullet vs Notion

Notion is the leading commercial workspace platform, combining notes, databases, tasks, and wikis. SilverBullet focuses on programmable markdown and plain-file storage.

Feature	SilverBullet	Notion
License	MIT	Proprietary
Data storage	Local markdown files	Notion's servers
Self-hosting	Yes (Docker or desktop)	No
Scripting	Space Lua (built-in)	Formula fields, limited
Pricing	Free (self-hosted)	$10-$20/seat/month (notion.com/pricing)

SilverBullet vs Obsidian

Feature	SilverBullet	Obsidian
License	MIT	Free (personal use)
Server / browser access	Yes	No
Sync	Built-in (desktop to server)	Paid add-on ($4/user/mo)
Scripting	Space Lua (built-in)	JavaScript plugins
Bi-directional links	Yes	Yes

SilverBullet vs Confluence

Confluence is Atlassian's enterprise wiki platform, commonly used alongside Jira. SilverBullet addresses a similar use case at team scale but with a different deployment and cost model.

Feature	SilverBullet	Confluence
License	MIT	Proprietary
Self-hosting	Yes (Docker)	Yes (Data Center, expensive)
Cost	Free	$5.78+/user/month (Standard, atlassian.com/software/confluence/pricing)
Integration	Markdown, git	Jira, Atlassian suite

Who SilverBullet is for#

Developers managing technical notes and project knowledge

Skip if:

Small teams running a shared wiki

Skip if:

Researchers and writers building a linked knowledge base

Skip if:

Teams writing docs-as-code

Skip if:

The problem it solves#

How it solves it#

Wiki-style bi-directional links

Space Lua scripting environment

Built-in query language (SLIQ)

Live-preview markdown editor

Multiple deployment modes

Plain-file data model

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Trade-offs

SilverBullet vs alternatives#

SilverBullet vs Notion

SilverBullet vs Obsidian

SilverBullet vs Confluence

Quick start#

What it's built on#

FAQ#

Other ways to replace Obsidian, Notion, Roam Research and Confluence#

Open source tools in these categories#

Business & Productivity

Developer Tools

Communication & Collaboration

Find open source alternatives to paid software

Who SilverBullet is for#

Developers managing technical notes and project knowledge

Skip if:

Small teams running a shared wiki

Skip if:

Researchers and writers building a linked knowledge base

Skip if:

Teams writing docs-as-code

Skip if:

The problem it solves#

How it solves it#

Wiki-style bi-directional links

Space Lua scripting environment

Built-in query language (SLIQ)

Live-preview markdown editor

Multiple deployment modes

Plain-file data model

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Trade-offs

SilverBullet vs alternatives#

SilverBullet vs Notion

SilverBullet vs Obsidian

SilverBullet vs Confluence

Quick start#

What it's built on#

FAQ#

Other ways to replace Obsidian, Notion, Roam Research and Confluence#

Open source tools in these categories#

Business & Productivity

Developer Tools

Communication & Collaboration

Find open source alternatives to paid software