Self-Hosted / Projects / AFFiNE Community Edition
AFFiNE Community Edition
StableSpecs verified October 9, 2026 · against vv0.27.4
Overview
Self-hosted workspace combining docs, whiteboards, databases, and collaboration.
AFFiNE is a self-hosted knowledge workspace that combines documents, whiteboards, and databases for people looking beyond separate Notion and Miro-style tools.
Why people choose AFFiNE
The useful search intent is a private, visual workspace with more flexibility than a conventional notes app. AFFiNE brings writing, planning, whiteboarding, and structured data into one workspace while keeping self-hosters in control of deployment and storage.
What is included
Official product pages describe docs, edgeless whiteboards, databases, templates, team spaces, collaboration, and optional AI features. The exact capabilities and licensing should be checked against the current Community Edition and enterprise documentation.
Requirements and tradeoffs
The current self-hosting guide recommends Docker Compose and identifies the AFFiNE server, PostgreSQL, Redis, blob storage, HTTPS, backups, and monitoring as operational components. Self-hosting is therefore more involved than running a single notes container; upgrades, storage, email, OAuth, and user administration remain operator responsibilities.
Best fit
Choose AFFiNE when you want a self-hosted visual workspace for documents, planning, and whiteboards. A simpler wiki or notes app may be easier for personal text-only knowledge, while a managed workspace is simpler if you do not want to operate Postgres, Redis, storage, and backups.
Interface previews
Screenshots of the AFFiNE Community Edition interface.
Feature support
| Feature | Support |
|---|---|
| Documents and rich notesAFFiNE presents docs and knowledge work as a core product workflow. | Supported |
| Edgeless whiteboardsThe official product site identifies edgeless whiteboard work as a central capability. | Supported |
| Databases and structured viewsAFFiNE combines documents with databases and structured workspace content. | Supported |
| Templates and planningOfficial pages provide templates and planning-oriented workspace workflows. | Supported |
| Team collaborationTeam spaces and collaborative editing are documented product capabilities. | Supported |
| AI assistanceAFFiNE markets AI features, but availability and limits depend on the current edition and configuration. | Partial support |
| Docker Compose self-hostingThe official self-hosting guide recommends Docker Compose for deployment. | Supported |
| Postgres, Redis, and blob storageThe self-hosting docs identify these as services or storage components operators manage. | Supported |
Community signals
- Stars
- 73.5k
- Forks
- 5.4k
- Open issues
- 772
- Last commit
- 4d ago
- Latest release
- v0.27.4
- Repo created
- Jul 2022
Includes open pull requests
2mo ago
Refreshed nightly from the GitHub API.
Questions
What is AFFiNE used for?
AFFiNE is used for documents, knowledge management, whiteboards, databases, planning, and collaborative workspaces.
Is AFFiNE a self-hosted Notion alternative?
Yes. AFFiNE covers document and workspace use cases similar to Notion, while adding an edgeless whiteboard and database-oriented workflow.
Is AFFiNE a self-hosted Miro alternative?
Partly. AFFiNE includes collaborative edgeless whiteboards, but it also combines them with documents and databases rather than focusing only on visual boards.
Can AFFiNE be self-hosted with Docker?
Yes. The official self-hosting documentation recommends Docker Compose and describes the supporting services required by the stack.
What does self-hosted AFFiNE need?
The current guide identifies the AFFiNE server, PostgreSQL, Redis, blob storage, a secure domain, backups, and monitoring as important deployment components.
Is AFFiNE free and open source?
AFFiNE publishes open-source code, but self-hosters should verify the current Community Edition scope, licensing, and any enterprise-only capabilities before deployment.
Who should choose AFFiNE?
AFFiNE fits teams and power users who want one private workspace for writing, planning, whiteboards, and structured data rather than several separate tools.
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