Affine
Open-source Notion alternative with local-first docs, whiteboards, and databases — 42K GitHub stars
Visit Affine
https://affine.pro
About Affine
AFFiNE is an open-source, privacy-focused alternative to Notion that combines document editing, whiteboard drawing, and database views in one unified workspace. Its 'Paper' mode provides a clean writing environment, while 'Edgeless' mode opens an infinite canvas for whiteboard-style thinking. AFFiNE can run fully locally (no account required) with optional cloud sync, making it ideal for privacy-conscious users. With 42,000+ GitHub stars, it's one of the fastest-growing open-source knowledge management projects. AFFiNE AI provides writing assistance, summarization, and mind map generation.
Key Features
Affine Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- +True local-first: your data stays on your device by default
- +Combines docs, whiteboards, and databases unlike most tools
- +Fully open source with self-hosting option
- +Rapidly improving — major updates every few months
- +Free tier is generous for individual use
⚠️ Cons
- −Still maturing — some features are less polished than Notion
- −Fewer integrations and plugins than established tools
- −Self-hosting requires Docker knowledge
Who Is Affine Best For?
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