Obsidian vs Crossnote-app
Crossnote-app is the better fit for users who require an AGPL-licensed, local-first Markdown web app with browser storage and direct Git-repository synchronization. Obsidian remains the safer choice for users who need documented graph search, full-text search, encrypted cross-device sync, shared vaults, or hosted publishing; none of those capabilities is established for Crossnote-app by the supplied evidence. Cross
Decision guide
The practical reasons to choose either option, based on documented capabilities.
Choose Crossnote-app if
- Users requiring an AGPL-licensed note application they can inspect or modify
- Individuals keeping plain Markdown notes in a browser or local folders
- Git-based workflows that synchronize notes directly with a chosen repository without a dedicated server or account
Stay with Obsidian if
- You require graph exploration or documented full-text search
- You need AES-256 end-to-end encrypted sync with version history
- Teams depend on shared vaults and real-time updates across devices after straightforward onboarding and administration processes are validated for Obsidian Sync and not shown for Crossnote-app in the supplied sources; or
Deployment and operations
Crossnote-app is an AGPL-3.0-or-later JavaScript web app and is identified as self-hostable, but no Docker or Kubernetes support is documented. Its described architecture stores notes in the browser and synchronizes directly with a Git repository, with no dedicated server or account. Operational risk is material: the original maintainer left, the backend was shut down, and a new maintainer is rebuilding the application from scratch. The repository points to a legacy-final release and archived/de
Migration considerations
Both products use local note collections, and Crossnote-app keeps notes as plain Markdown files, which may reduce content-format friction. However, the supplied evidence documents no Obsidian-vault importer or compatibility handling for links, attachments, metadata, plugins, or settings, so migration should be validated on a copy of the vault.
Feature fit
What Crossnote-app covers
- Local-first note storage
- Markdown-based note writing
- Offline operation without an account
What’s different or missing
- No documented graph exploration
- No documented full-text search
- No documented encrypted cross-device sync or version history
- No documented shared-vault collaboration
- No documented hosted web publishing
- No documented Obsidian-vault importer
Project snapshot
- GitHub stars
- 1,087
- Contributors
- 4
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last commit
- Aug 6, 2026
- Latest release
- Jul 28, 2026
Categories: Knowledge Management, Note Taking, File Sync & Storage, Calendars & Scheduling, Document Collaboration, Task Management
Sources and editorial review9 linked sources
Public documentation supports this comparison. Automation assists collection and classification; editorial standards and corrections remain the responsibility of Kris.
Local-first markdown notebook - notes live in your browser or local folders as plain markdown files, synced with in-browser git. No server, no account, works offline.
repository description · github.comCrossnote is a local-first web app for reading and writing markdown notes.
readme · github.comYour notes live in your browser, sync with any git repository directly, and stay plain markdown files - no dedicated server in the middle.
readme · github.comThe original author's final version ... backend service has been shut down ... rebuilding the app from the ground up.
readme · github.comCrossnote is a local-first web app for reading and writing markdown notes. Your notes live in your browser, sync with any git repository directly, and stay plain markdown files - no dedicated server in the middle.
verdict · github.comNo server, no account, works offline.
shared feature · github.comThe original author [@shd101wyy](https://github.com/shd101wyy) has moved on, and the app's backend has been shut down. [@dongshunyao](https://github.com/dongshunyao) has taken over and is rebuilding the app from the ground up - the plan is to bring it back to life and keep it that way.
deployment · github.com[GNU AGPL-3.0-or-later](./LICENSE)
deployment · github.comYour notes live in your browser, sync with any git repository directly, and stay plain markdown files - no dedicated server in the middle.
migration · github.com
