Zim

A desktop wiki for Linux, Windows and macOS that keeps pages as plain text files in folders, with links, attachments, tasks and plugins.

2.2k stars, 404 forks Python On GitHub since April 2017

Visit website View on GitHub How to run it

What is Zim?

Zim is a graphical editor for a personal wiki on your computer. Each page can link to others, contain simple formatting, images and attachments, and creating a page is as easy as linking to one that does not exist yet. Everything lives in ordinary text files arranged in a folder tree, like an outliner. Plugins add a task list, calendar journal, equation editor, version control and more. It is written in Python with GTK, and the interface is available in more than 30 languages.

Good fit if

  • You want a personal wiki that works offline without a server.
  • You want notes as plain text files you can sync with any tool.

Look elsewhere if

  • You want Markdown files and a modern interface: Zettlr or Logseq.
  • You need a wiki for a team on a server: DokuWiki.

Before you adopt it

Zim is GPL-2.0 and free, maintained by a small group of volunteers. Its pages use Zim's own wiki syntax rather than Markdown, which matters if you move notes later.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 30 October 2026. Report a correction

Zim health: is it still maintained?

59 of 100, actively developed

  • Activity
    48 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 24 October 2026.
    20 / 30
  • Contributors
    10 people wrote the 48 commits of the last 90 days; the most active wrote 42% of them.
    14 / 20
  • Releases
    No releases published on GitHub.
    6 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Maintainers answered 67% of recent issues, with a median first reply after 31 hours.
    15 / 20
  • Security practices
    OpenSSF Scorecard 4.2 of 10.
    4 / 10

Read from GitHub on 1 November 2026. How the score works

Zim license: is it open source?

Zim uses GPL-2.0, an open-source license approved by the OSI.

  1. April 2017First published on GitHub.
  2. TodayGPL-2.0.

How to run Zim yourself

Docker
No Docker files in the repository
Compose file
None in the repository
Setup effort
Not rated: no compose file to judge from
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
No app builds in GitHub releases
Interface languages
38 languages

Install instructions: zim-wiki.org or the README on GitHub.

Alternatives to Zim

  • DocmostDocmost is an open-source collaborative wiki and documentation software. It is an open-source alternative to… 72 health · AGPL-3.0 · 22.2k stars
  • DokuWikiThe DokuWiki Open Source Wiki Engine 69 health · GPL-2.0 · 4.7k stars
  • TiddlyWikiA self-contained JavaScript wiki for the browser, Node.js, AWS Lambda etc. 64 health · BSD · 8.7k stars
  • Wiki.jsWiki.js | Next Generation Open Source Wiki 58 health · AGPL-3.0 · 29.1k stars
  • JoplinJoplin - the privacy-focused note taking app with sync capabilities for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and… 87 health · AGPL-3.0 · 57k stars

All 34 projects in Notes & knowledge bases

Questions about Zim

Is Zim open source?

Yes. Zim is published under GPL-2.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Is Zim still maintained?

Its health score is 59 of 100 (actively developed). It had 48 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 24 October 2026.

How do I run Zim?

The repository has no Docker files or app builds, so you build it from source. The README on GitHub has the steps.

What are the alternatives to Zim?

Close alternatives in the Notes & knowledge bases category include Docmost, DokuWiki, TiddlyWiki.