TiddlyWiki5

TiddlyWiki is a personal notebook and wiki tool that runs entirely inside a single HTML file in your browser, with no server or account required. You open the file, take notes, link ideas together, and save everything back to the same file. The project describes it as a non-linear notebook, meaning you are not forced to write in pages or chapters but can connect pieces of information however makes sense to you. Each piece of content is called a tiddler, and the whole collection lives in one portable file you can copy, back up, or share like any other file.

Beyond the single-file mode, TiddlyWiki can also run as a Node.js server application for users who prefer a client-server setup or need to build tools on top of it. The project mentions AWS Lambda as another supported environment. The interface itself is written in a format called WikiText, which means experienced users can modify and extend how the interface looks and behaves. Plugins can add new functionality.

Installing the Node.js version takes a few steps: install Node.js for your operating system, then run npm install -g tiddlywiki in a terminal, create a new wiki folder, and start the server. After that, you visit a local address in your browser to use it. The README walks through each step with commands for Linux, Mac, and Android.

The community is active across several places: an official forum at talk.tiddlywiki.org, a Google Groups list that has been running since 2005, a subreddit, and a Discord server. Development happens on GitHub with discussions for questions and issues for bug reports.

TiddlyWiki5 is the current major version of a project that has been around for decades. It is free and independent of any company.