Deploy and Host Siyuan with one click on Railway

Siyuan is a free, open-source notetaking and knowledge management platform available on GitHub. It’s designed for people who want a personal knowledgebase, complete control of their notes, and flexible organization features. Unlike cloud-only note apps, Siyuan gives you the freedom to self host, keeping your notes fully private and under your control.

About Hosting Siyuan on Railway (Self Hosting Siyuan Docker)

You can self host Siyuan using Docker, which makes it simple to run and manage across different environments. By hosting Siyuan on Railway, you don’t need to worry about complicated server management. Your notes and knowledgebase stay private, while Railway manages scaling, uptime, and security for you.

Siyuan supports local-first notetaking with full Markdown compatibility, block-level editing, and graph-based knowledge organization. With Railway, the deploy process is streamlined—just a few clicks and you can access Siyuan in your browser.

Why Deploy Managed Siyuan Service on Railway

Hosting Siyuan on Railway means instant setup, no sysadmin headaches, and automated scaling. You get the privacy of self-hosting plus the convenience of a managed platform.

Railway vs DigitalOcean:

DigitalOcean requires you to manage Docker images, updates, and backups yourself for Siyuan hosting. Railway automates all of this—deploy Siyuan Docker in seconds with no manual work.

Railway vs Linode:

Linode is powerful but hands-on. You must handle system patches and Docker Compose manually. On Railway, Siyuan runs in secure managed containers, updated automatically.

Railway vs Vultr:

Vultr demands you configure disk storage, networking, and scaling for Siyuan. Railway takes care of these, so you focus only on your notes and knowledgebase.

Railway vs AWS Lightsail:

Lightsail can be overkill for personal Siyuan deployments, adding complexity in scaling and networking. Railway provides a seamless environment where Siyuan runs without extra configuration.

Railway vs Hetzner:

Hetzner is known for budget-friendly servers but expects full DIY management. Railway is ideal if you prefer click-to-deploy hosting with no infrastructure hassle.

Common Use Cases of Siyuan

Personal Knowledgebase: Organize your research, notes, and ideas into a connected knowledge graph.
Team Collaboration: Share workspaces with teammates using self-hosted Siyuan.
Research Journals: Capture academic notes with backlinks and block references.
Project Documentation: Use Siyuan as a structured wiki for projects.
Daily Notetaking: Replace cloud apps with Siyuan’s privacy-first, local-first workflow.

Dependencies for Siyuan Hosted on Railway

Deployment Dependencies for SiYuan Docker Hosting

Docker Image: Siyuan’s official Docker image from GitHub.
Persistent Storage: To save and sync your notes reliably.
Networking: Railway handles SSL, HTTPS, and routing automatically.

Siyuan Docker Compose Example

version: '3.8'
services:
  siyuan:
    image: b3log/siyuan
    ports:
      - "6806:6806"
    volumes:
      - siyuan_data:/siyuan
volumes:
  siyuan_data:

How does Siyuan Compare to Other Notetaking Apps (Alternatives)

Siyuan vs Obsidian

Obsidian is a powerful Markdown notetaker but not open-source. Siyuan is fully open-source and lets you self-host, ensuring privacy and flexibility.

Siyuan vs Logseq

Both are open-source, graph-based notetakers. Siyuan emphasizes block-level editing and Docker-friendly self hosting, while Logseq is more focused on local desktop usage.

Siyuan vs Notion

Notion is cloud-based with no self-hosting. Siyuan gives you total control and privacy, ideal for those who don’t want their data tied to a vendor.

Siyuan vs Joplin

Joplin is focused on note sync across devices. Siyuan adds advanced block references and a graph knowledgebase, making it stronger for deep knowledge management.

Siyuan vs Athens

Athens is another open-source alternative, but less mature. Siyuan has a larger community, GitHub activity, and production-ready Docker images.

How to Use Siyuan

Deploy Siyuan Docker on Railway.
Access Siyuan in your browser.
Create notes using Markdown or the block editor.
Link notes with backlinks and graph views.
Use tags, queries, and references to build your personal knowledgebase.

How to Self Host Siyuan on Other VPS

Clone Repo: Get Siyuan from GitHub.
Install Docker & Docker Compose: Required to run Siyuan in containers.
Set Up Volumes: Ensure persistence for your notes.
Run Compose: Start Siyuan and access via browser.

Features of Siyuan

Open-source, privacy-first notetaker.
Full Markdown support with block-level editing.
Graph view for connected knowledge.
Cross-platform (browser, desktop, mobile).
Self-hosting with Docker and Railway.
Extensible via plugins and APIs.

Official Siyuan Pricing

Siyuan itself is free and open source. The only cost comes from hosting infrastructure. Railway’s base plans usually start around $5/month, making it cost-effective compared to proprietary SaaS tools.

Self Hosting Siyuan vs Paid SaaS Notes

Self Hosting: Full privacy, open source, no vendor lock-in. Cost is just Railway hosting ($5–$10/month).
Paid SaaS Apps: Subscription-based, data lives on someone else’s servers, limited export and control.

FAQs

What is Siyuan?

Siyuan is an open-source, privacy-first notetaker and knowledgebase platform.

Can I self host Siyuan?

Yes. Siyuan provides an official Docker image, making self hosting easy on Railway or other VPS providers.

How much does Siyuan cost?

Siyuan is free. Hosting on Railway costs around $5–$10/month depending on usage.

How do I deploy Siyuan on Railway?

Click the Deploy Now button, set up storage, and Railway handles the rest.

What are the common use cases?

Personal notes, academic research, team wikis, project documentation, and journaling.

Is Siyuan better than Notion?

Notion is polished but cloud-only. Siyuan is ideal for users who want privacy, open source control, and Docker-based self hosting.

Does Siyuan support collaboration?

Yes, you can share workspaces with teammates when self hosting.

Where is Siyuan’s source code?

You can find the Siyuan's source code on GitHub.

Deploy Siyuan on Railway with One Click:

Deploy on Railway