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iwe-org/iwe

Markdown knowledge graph with an LSP for your editor and a CLI and MCP server so AI agents can read and write the same notes.

Open-source alternative to:ObsidianNotion

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What is it?

IWE is a local-first knowledge base built on plain Markdown files. Notes link to each other and can belong to several topics, so ideas stay connected across a project. It is aimed at people who want a shared memory that both they and their AI agents can read, edit, and organize.

It ships in four forms that operate on the same files: a native Mac app called iWe, a language server that adds link autocomplete, backlinks, search, and safe renaming to Neovim, Helix, VS Code, and Zed, a command-line tool for searching and managing notes, and an MCP server that lets Claude, Codex, and other MCP-compatible agents work with the notes. The project does not include an AI model; agents connect through the user's own setup.

Because everything is stored as Markdown in a folder on the local machine, notes can be backed up, synced, or kept in git without an IWE cloud account. Agent-saved notes are ordinary files the user can review or delete.

Key features

  • 01Markdown notes that link to each other and can belong to multiple topics.
  • 02Language server with link autocomplete, backlinks, search, and safe renaming for Neovim, Helix, VS Code, and Zed.
  • 03Command-line tool for finding and managing notes, including lexical search.
  • 04MCP server so Claude, Codex, and other compatible agents can read and write notes.
  • 05Local Markdown storage with no required cloud account.

Use cases

  • Keeping project specs, plans, and decisions in one place that an AI agent can also reference.
  • Writing and linking notes inside an existing editor setup without switching tools.
  • Managing a Markdown notes folder from the terminal or in scripts.
  • Giving coding or marketing agents persistent, reviewable memory across sessions.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install IWE with Homebrew

    brew install iwe-org/iwe/iwe
  2. 2

    Initialize IWE in your notes folder

    iwe init
  3. 3

    Search your notes by content

    iwe find --lexical "project decisions"

Things to know

  • Connecting an AI agent requires that agent's own setup and account.
  • The README does not offer a Windows or Linux desktop app; the Mac app is the native GUI option.

Topics

#markdown#knowledge-management#note-taking#mcp#language-server#local-first#zettelkasten#ai-agents#ai-memory#cli

FAQ

What is iwe?
Markdown knowledge graph with an LSP for your editor and a CLI and MCP server so AI agents can read and write the same notes. IWE is a local-first knowledge base built on plain Markdown files. Notes link to each other and can belong to several topics, so ideas stay connected across a project. It is aimed at people who want a shared memory that both they and their AI agents can read, edit, and organize.
Is iwe free to use? What license does it have?
iwe is open source under the Apache-2.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is iwe still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to iwe was on Oct 18, 2026.
What can I use iwe for?
Keeping project specs, plans, and decisions in one place that an AI agent can also reference. Writing and linking notes inside an existing editor setup without switching tools. Managing a Markdown notes folder from the terminal or in scripts. Giving coding or marketing agents persistent, reviewable memory across sessions.
How do I install iwe?
Install IWE with Homebrew: brew install iwe-org/iwe/iwe Initialize IWE in your notes folder: iwe init Search your notes by content: iwe find --lexical "project decisions"
Where can I get iwe?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/iwe-org/iwe

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