Foam

A personal knowledge management system built on Visual Studio Code and plain Markdown files.

FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux
Official websitedocs.foam.md

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About Foam

Foam turns Visual Studio Code into a personal knowledge base. Notes are ordinary Markdown files connected with [[wikilinks]], block anchors and embeds, with automatic backlinks and a graph view of how notes relate. Daily notes, templates and tags help with capture and organisation.

Because notes are plain files, they can be versioned and synced with Git and edited with any other VS Code extension. The documentation includes a guide for people coming from Obsidian.

Strengths

  • Notes stored as standard Markdown files
  • Wikilinks, backlinks, embeds and graph view
  • Works with Git for version history and sync
  • Uses the VS Code editor and its extensions

Limitations

  • Requires Visual Studio Code
  • No dedicated mobile app

Details

Pricing
FreeFree and open source with no subscription.
License
Open source, license not stated
Developer
The Foam contributors
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
How it runs
Downloadable app
Best suited for
Developers who want a linked Markdown knowledge base inside VS Code
Last verified
Added
Provenance
Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Alternatives to Foam

Compare all

Software that can replace Foam for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

  • Obsidian

    A notes app that works on a folder of plain Markdown files on your own disk, with links between them.

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOS

    Obsidian works on a folder of plain Markdown files with links, backlinks and graph view in its own app with mobile clients, but it is not open source.

  • Logseq

    An outliner that stores notes as plain Markdown files, built around a daily journal and linked blocks.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOS

    Logseq is an AGPL-3.0 outliner storing plain Markdown files with block linking and a daily journal in a standalone app, including mobile apps.

  • Org-roam

    An Emacs package for linked, plain-text personal knowledge management built on Org mode files.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Org-roam gives a linked plain-text knowledge base with backlinks and a graph view inside Emacs using Org mode files instead of Markdown in VS Code.

  • zk

    A command-line tool for maintaining a plain-text Markdown Zettelkasten or personal wiki.

    FreeProprietaryCommand line

    zk is a command-line tool for a Markdown Zettelkasten that works with any text editor, so you are not tied to Visual Studio Code.

  • Denote

    An Emacs note-taking package that organises plain-text notes through a predictable, descriptive file naming scheme.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Denote organises plain-text notes in Emacs through a predictable file naming scheme with no database, switching the editor from VS Code to Emacs.

  • MindForger

    Organize Markdown notes in a personal knowledge workspace.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    MindForger is a GPL-2.0 standalone Markdown knowledge workspace linking related notes on Windows, macOS and Linux, with no VS Code requirement.

  • SilverBullet

    Keep linked Markdown notes in a self-hosted browser workspace.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hostedWeb

    SilverBullet keeps linked Markdown notes in a self-hosted browser workspace with queries and extensions, needing a running instance instead of VS Code.

  • VimWiki

    A Vim plugin that turns linked plain-text files into a personal wiki with its own syntax.

    FreeOpen sourceCommand line

    VimWiki turns linked plain-text files into a personal wiki inside Vim with its own syntax rather than Markdown, and has no built-in sync.

Foam as an alternative

Listings that name Foam as an alternative.

  • nb

    A command-line and local web tool for plain text notes, bookmarks and a Git-backed knowledge base.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Foam keeps Markdown notes with wikilinks, backlinks and graph view inside Visual Studio Code and uses Git for sync, replacing a terminal workflow with an editor.

  • Notenik

    A free, open-source Mac note-taking app that stores notes as plain-text Markdown files in folders.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOS

    Foam keeps a linked Markdown knowledge base inside Visual Studio Code with wikilinks and graph view, so it requires VS Code rather than a native Mac app.

  • The Archive

    A plain-text Zettelkasten note-taking app for macOS that stores notes as Markdown files.

    PaidProprietarymacOS

    Foam builds a linked Markdown knowledge base inside Visual Studio Code with wikilinks, backlinks and Git sync, and is free and open source.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

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