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lyfie-org/papyra

A self-hosted, Google Keep-style notes app where every note is a plain Markdown file in a folder you own.

Open-source alternative to:Google KeepNotion

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Last commit
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What is it?

Papyra is a self-hosted notes app with a card-based interface similar to Google Keep. It runs as a single Docker container with one data volume, and it needs no separate database or search server. Each note is a .md file with a small YAML header, stored in a folder you control, so the notes remain readable without Papyra.

Because the filesystem is the source of truth, other tools such as Obsidian, VS Code, Syncthing, git or grep can edit the same folder. Papyra watches for outside changes and updates the open app. SQLite and the Lucene full-text index are treated as rebuildable caches. The app also covers live collaboration with named cursors, a PIN-protected vault for encrypted locked notes, note version history, comments, and wiki-style [[links]].

Sign-in supports passkeys, authenticator apps and OIDC single sign-on. Papyra can import from Obsidian, Google Keep and Day One, and it exports to a zip or sealed backup. The backend is built on .NET 10 and the editor on React 19 with the Luthor (Lexical-based) editor.

Key features

  • 01Every note is a Markdown file with YAML frontmatter in a folder you own.
  • 02Full-text search across titles, text and tags.
  • 03Live collaborative editing with named cursors.
  • 04A PIN-protected vault that encrypts locked notes on disk.
  • 05Note history with version comparison and restore.
  • 06Import from Obsidian, Google Keep and Day One; export to zip.
  • 07Runs as one Docker container on amd64 and arm64.

Use cases

  • Keeping personal notes on a home server or NAS without handing them to a cloud provider.
  • Editing the same notes from Obsidian or a text editor while using the web app on a phone.
  • Migrating away from Google Keep while keeping notes as portable Markdown files.
  • Sharing selected notes with others by link or live co-editing on a private instance.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the Docker Compose file

    curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lyfie-org/papyra/main/docker-compose.hub.yml
  2. 2

    Start Papyra with Docker Compose

    docker compose -f docker-compose.hub.yml up -d
  3. 3

    Open http://localhost:8080 in your browser and create the first account

Things to know

  • Requires Docker with Compose to run.
  • Licensed under GPL-3.0, a copyleft license that requires derivative works to remain open source.
  • Self-hosting means you are responsible for backups, HTTPS and server upkeep.
  • The optional daily update check calls out unless you disable it.

In collections

Self-hosted appsPrivacy & local-first toolsStatic site generators & documentation tools

Topics

#notes#markdown#self-hosted#note-taking#docker#real-time-collaboration#full-text-search#privacy#aspnetcore#dotnet

FAQ

What is papyra?
A self-hosted, Google Keep-style notes app where every note is a plain Markdown file in a folder you own. Papyra is a self-hosted notes app with a card-based interface similar to Google Keep. It runs as a single Docker container with one data volume, and it needs no separate database or search server. Each note is a .md file with a small YAML header, stored in a folder you control, so the notes remain readable without Papyra.
Is papyra free to use? What license does it have?
papyra is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is papyra still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to papyra was on Nov 7, 2026.
What can I use papyra for?
Keeping personal notes on a home server or NAS without handing them to a cloud provider. Editing the same notes from Obsidian or a text editor while using the web app on a phone. Migrating away from Google Keep while keeping notes as portable Markdown files. Sharing selected notes with others by link or live co-editing on a private instance.
How do I install papyra?
Download the Docker Compose file: curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lyfie-org/papyra/main/docker-compose.hub.yml Start Papyra with Docker Compose: docker compose -f docker-compose.hub.yml up -d Open http://localhost:8080 in your browser and create the first account
Where can I get papyra?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/lyfie-org/papyra

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