Overview:
AFFiNE is an open-source, all-in-one workspace that merges documents, whiteboards, and databases into a single platform. It is designed as a privacy-focused, local-first alternative to Notion and Miro. The project targets users who want a hyper-fused environment for writing, drawing, and planning. It allows users to place any building block—such as rich text, sticky notes, embedded web pages, databases, and shapes—on an edgeless canvas. The platform supports local-first data ownership, real-time collaboration, and self-hosting.
Core Features:
Merged Docs and Whiteboard: Users can place any block (rich text, sticky notes, embedded web pages, databases, shapes, slides) on an edgeless canvas, fully merging document and whiteboard workflows.
Multimodal AI Partner: AI can generate reports, turn outlines into slides, summarize articles into mind maps, sort tasks, and even draw or code app prototypes from a single prompt.
Local-First & Real-Time Collaboration: Data is stored locally on the user's disk by default, while also supporting real-time sync and collaboration across web and cross-platform clients.
Self-Hosting: Users can manage, self-host, fork, and build their own version of AFFiNE, with deployment options via Docker.
Use Cases:
Developers and creators merging docs and whiteboards: Users who want to combine structured notes, sketches, and visual planning on a single infinite canvas.
Self-hosters seeking data control: Individuals or teams who prefer to run their own workspace instance using Docker, maintaining data on their own infrastructure.
Prototyping and brainstorming with AI: Creators who want to generate slides, mind maps, or application code directly within the workspace using a single prompt.
Why It Matters:
AFFiNE provides a local-first, self-hostable workspace that fully merges documents, whiteboards, and databases into one open-source platform. It offers a real-time collaboration layer on top of user-owned data and an AI that can generate content and code directly. For users looking for an open-source alternative to cloud-based knowledge management and visual collaboration tools, AFFiNE presents a unified environment with explicit support for self-hosting and data autonomy.
