Started in 2015 as the open-source community edition of HackMD before rebranding through CodiMD, HedgeDoc is a self-hosted collaborative markdown editor backed by Node.js and a relational database. It provides browser-based real-time collaboration with split-pane live preview, slide presentation mode, and diagram rendering. Collaborators write simultaneously without installing local software or dedicated client applications.
Why HedgeDoc instead of Dropbox Paper
Dropbox Paper operates as a multi-tenant cloud service, managing servers while routing drafts through external infrastructure. HedgeDoc keeps that workspace on your own infrastructure. An administrator deploys it as a container paired with PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or SQLite, keeping notes within internal network boundaries. User provisioning connects to identity providers through LDAP, SAML, or OAuth2, enabling single sign-on across GitLab, GitHub, Keycloak, and Nextcloud without per-seat fees.
The operational trade-off centers on state management and scaling. Dropbox Paper abstracts maintenance behind proprietary clusters, whereas HedgeDoc 1.x runs a stateful single-process server using in-memory Operational Transformation. Running multiple application containers against one database causes desynchronization, restricting high availability to active-passive failover rather than horizontal load balancing. Attachments also require persistent disk volumes or S3-compatible storage like MinIO. Teams deploying HedgeDoc trade hands-off SaaS convenience for direct control over data retention, network isolation, and backups.
What it does well
Split-pane live preview displays formatted text, lists, and tables alongside raw markdown, letting non-technical contributors write without memorizing syntax.
Instant link sharing lets authors invite colleagues into a note with a single URL, allowing immediate editing without mandatory registration.
Slide mode converts markdown headings into presentation decks powered by reveal.js, removing the need for separate slide tools.
Built-in diagram rendering parses plain text into flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and Mermaid charts directly inside notes.
Permission dropdowns let owners switch notes between private, link-accessible, or restricted to logged-in team members with one click.
Automatic revision history tracks edits across sessions, letting authors inspect past drafts and restore earlier text if mistakes occur.
Similar Open Source Tools
Limitations
Threaded comments and inline suggestions are absent, requiring teams needing editorial discussions to manage reviews outside the editor canvas (GitHub issues #657 and #2879).
Document organization relies on tags and history without a folder tree, complicating navigation across hundreds of notes (GitHub issue #1002).
Server architecture is stateful and cannot scale horizontally across multiple active application nodes on one database without causing synchronization errors.
Built-in PDF export was deactivated due to security vulnerabilities in headless Chromium, requiring users to rely on browser print dialogs (GitHub issue #965).
Who should use it
Meeting facilitators who need shared agendas: Participants open a link, check off action items, and take notes simultaneously without creating third-party accounts.
Instructors and speakers who deliver live workshops: Presenters draft notes and switch instantly into slide mode without exporting to presentation software.
Teams with strict data governance policies: Organizations requiring on-premises data isolation can deploy internal documentation scratchpads without sending text to commercial cloud vendors.
FAQ
HedgeDoc vs Dropbox Paper — which should I choose?
Choose Dropbox Paper if your team requires threaded comment discussions, task due dates, and zero-maintenance cloud hosting. Choose HedgeDoc if you want self-hosted control on private infrastructure, plain text markdown documents, and zero per-seat licensing fees.
Is HedgeDoc free for commercial use?
Yes, HedgeDoc is free open-source software that organizations can self-host internally without subscription fees or user license costs.
Can non-technical users format notes without learning Markdown?
Yes, the editor includes a formatting toolbar for common styles, and the split-screen view updates immediately as you type.
Verdict
HedgeDoc is an excellent collaborative workspace for teams that want real-time document editing on private infrastructure, provided they do not require threaded review comments or complex folder trees. Ongoing commits into September 2026 reflect an active project working toward its version 2.0 rewrite, while the AGPL-3.0 license ensures the software remains freely self-hostable provided modifications to public services are shared back with the community.
Install HedgeDoc
Verified install
Commands from the official package registries. Each package is matched to HedgeDoc through the registry's own link to its source code or website.
pacman · Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S hedgedoc
We started this exact setup from scratch in a clean Linux machine on Nov 2, 2026 and checked it through HedgeDoc's own API: every check passed. Recipes are re-checked regularly and removed if they stop working.
POSTGRES_PASSWORD — Password of the PostgreSQL database. Generated above; keep it secret.
CMD_SESSION_SECRET — Secret key for signing HTTP session cookies. Generated above; keep it secret.
CMD_DOMAIN — Domain name that HedgeDoc uses to construct its public base URL; set to your public domain in production.
CMD_URL_ADDPORT — Set to true to append the port number to generated URLs (disable when using standard ports 80/443).
CMD_PROTOCOL_USESSL — Set to true to use HTTPS for generated URLs and resources when running behind a TLS reverse proxy.
CMD_SERVER_URL — Public URL of the instance; HedgeDoc constructs this from CMD_DOMAIN, CMD_PROTOCOL_USESSL, and CMD_URL_ADDPORT.
CMD_ALLOW_EMAIL_REGISTER — Set to true to allow registration of new accounts with email. Set to false to close public registration after creating the initial account.
HEDGEDOC_ADMIN_EMAIL — Admin email address used by smoke tests to register the initial account.
HEDGEDOC_ADMIN_PASSWORD — Password used by smoke tests to register and authenticate the admin account. Generated above; keep it secret.
3
Start it
docker compose up -d
4
First run
Before starting, configure CMD_DOMAIN in .env with your public domain (and set CMD_PROTOCOL_USESSL=true and CMD_URL_ADDPORT=false when serving over HTTPS behind a reverse proxy).
Open http://<your-server>:3000 (or your configured HTTPS domain), click Sign In at the top right, switch to Register, and create your initial admin account immediately.
Set CMD_ALLOW_EMAIL_REGISTER=false in .env and recreate the container with docker compose up -d to close public registration.
security: open protocols — no unauthenticated Redis protocol on public ports
security: nuclei scan — no findings
services healthy
logs clean
Ubuntu 24.04 · Apple container, Docker 29.1.3, Compose 2.40.3+ds1-0ubuntu1~24.04.1. Images pulled in 65 s: quay.io/hedgedoc/hedgedoc:1.12.0, postgres:16-alpine.
Based on the upstream setup. Official Docker Compose configuration with PostgreSQL 16 and HedgeDoc pinned to 1.12.0. Database password, domain, URL configuration, session secret, and email registration moved to environment variables; default note permissions set to private.
