Silicon
Silicon Notes is a web-based personal knowledge base described as having few frills.
About Silicon
Silicon Notes is a self-hosted, web-based personal knowledge base built with Python and Flask. Pages are written in plaintext Markdown and rendered as HTML, with syntax highlighting for code blocks, bi-directional page relationships, full-text and page-title search, page history, and a table of contents in the left sidebar. The interface is described as no-frills, and a mobile layout is included alongside built-in documentation.
It stores its data, including an SQLite database, in an instance path, and it is deployed either locally with Python tooling or in a Docker/Podman container. The documented container setup serves plaintext HTTP on port 5000 and keeps application data under /home/silicon/instance. Configuration is handled through environment variables or a .env file, and some settings, such as the port, host and secret key, can be adjusted there.
Key features
- Plaintext Markdown editing with rendering to HTML
- Language syntax highlighting for rendered code blocks
- Bi-directional relationships between pages
- Full-text and page title search
- Page history and left-sidebar table of contents
- Optional CodeMirror editor syntax highlighting, replaceable with a plain textarea
Best for: Individuals or small teams who want a lightweight, self-hosted Markdown knowledge base and are comfortable running Python tooling or a container.
Good for
- Markdown-based editing with HTML rendering, syntax highlighting, search and page history
- Few dependencies, using Python, Flask, Mistune, Pygments and SQLite
- Can be run locally with uv or deployed as a Docker/Podman container
Watch out for
- The interface is explicitly described as no-frills
- Running it requires self-hosting with Python tooling or a container
- Application data lives in a single instance path, leaving hosting and backups to the operator
Silicon at a glance
- Website
- github.com/cu/silicon
- Category
- Productivity › Notes & Knowledge Management
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Notes & Knowledge Management
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Silicon FAQ
How do I run Silicon Notes locally?
Install uv, run `uv run poe init-db`, then run `uv run poe devserver`, and open http://localhost:5000/ in a browser.
Can Silicon Notes run in a container?
Yes. A Dockerfile and a docker-compose.yaml are provided, and the README shows docker run and docker-compose commands. The container listens on port 5000 and stores application data in /home/silicon/instance.
How is the editor configured?
The CodeMirror editor is optional; setting SILICON_EDITOR to textarea disables it and uses a standard textarea element instead.
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