What it does
Papyra is a free, open-source notes app that stores each note as a Markdown file on the user's own server. Its browser interface combines quick note capture with wiki-style linking, global search, comments, version history, attachments, and locked notes. The official documentation describes importing existing Markdown and Obsidian notes, plus Google Keep data, into a self-hosted instance.
Bring an existing Markdown collection into a server you control
Papyra's documentation explains importing notes from Obsidian or Google Keep, dropping in individual Markdown files, and copying Markdown into the server's notes folder. For a new entry, the product page describes typing directly into a note with autosave, then using [[ to link related pages and global search to find notes, to-dos, and collections. Comments and per-note history make it more collaborative than a standalone local notebook.
The app is self-hosted: the project describes a Docker installation and a browser-based live demo that requires no signup. The same documentation warns that the trash is not a backup and covers restoring an instance, so an operator should plan backups before relying on it for important records. Papyra 1.0.0 was released on 2026-10-16; the repository's license file is GNU GPL v3. No server was deployed and no import, collaboration, or restore operation was tested.
Strengths
- Notes remain ordinary Markdown files on a server the user controls.
- The official docs cover imports from Markdown, Obsidian, and Google Keep.
- Search, links, comments, attachments, and version history cover both personal and shared note workflows.
Watch out for
- Using the full app requires running and maintaining a self-hosted server.
- The documentation explicitly distinguishes the trash from a backup; operators need a separate recovery plan.
Best for
- People who want a browser-accessible notes home on their own server
- Migrating an existing Markdown or Obsidian collection into a collaborative notebook
Sources
- Papyra | Official Product Homepage (Oct 25, 2026)
- Papyra Documentation (Oct 25, 2026)
- Papyra | Official Repository (Oct 25, 2026)
- Papyra v1.0.0 Release (Oct 25, 2026)
- GNU General Public License v3 | Papyra (Oct 25, 2026)