SiYuan Hosting Live In 5 Minutes

Deploy SiYuan on xCloud and get SiYuan hosting for a self-hosted knowledge management workspace on a server you own, with block references, backlinks, databases, flashcards and PDF annotation. xCloud runs the pinned official image as a single container, generates the access code, mounts a persistent workspace volume and publishes it over HTTPS on your domain in minutes, with no database to manage.

Deploy your SiYuan

No terminal
No technical skills needed
No lock-in, cancel anytime

What is SiYuan?

SiYuan is a privacy-first personal knowledge management system supporting fine-grained block-level references and Markdown WYSIWYG. A self-hosted SiYuan gives you a self-hosted knowledge management workspace with two-way links, SQL query embeds, database views, flashcard spaced repetition, PDF annotation links, Tesseract OCR and an API, as an alternative to Notion or Roam Research. Upstream says it is completely open source and most features are free.

On xCloud the install runs SiYuan v3.8.2 from the official image, pinned by digest, as one container with no database or cache. The siyuan_workspace volume holds notebooks, documents, assets, indexes, configuration and history. xCloud generates a 24-character access code that protects the workspace. Upstream documents browser-only access for Docker, and paid member features are not included.

From Sign-Up to a Live SiYuan In Just 3 Easy Steps

Self-hosting SiYuan normally means a container, a persistent workspace folder, an access code, a domain and a certificate before the first note. This is the same result without assembling any of it.

Step 01
Sign Up
Create your xCloud account and pick SiYuan from the OneClick catalog. Choose your domain and target server; the only field is the access code, which xCloud generates for you.
Step 02
We Deploy It For You
One click. We bring up the official SiYuan image, pinned by digest, as a single container with no database, mount the siyuan_workspace volume and publish it over HTTPS on your domain.
Step 03
Unlock And Write
Open your HTTPS URL and unlock the workspace with the access code from your credentials. Create a notebook and a first document, then review Settings, Authentication before adding an API token or OIDC.

Everything SiYuan Does, On Your Own Server

SiYuan runs in full here as a browser workspace on your own server, with the paid member features left out.

Block References And Backlinks
Link at the level of a single block, with two-way links, custom attributes and SQL query embeds, rather than only linking whole pages.
Markdown WYSIWYG Editor
Write in a block-style Markdown editor with list outline, block zoom-in, formulas, charts and flowcharts, and web clipping.
Databases And Flashcards
Keep structured data in database table views and review notes with spaced-repetition flashcards, both inside the same workspace.
PDF Annotation And OCR
Link to annotations in PDFs and use Tesseract OCR, so scanned material becomes part of your notes.
Kernel API And Plugins
Upstream documents an API, JavaScript and CSS snippets and a community marketplace for extending the workspace.
Workspace On Your Own Volume
Notebooks, documents, assets, indexes, configuration and history live on the siyuan_workspace volume, behind an access code you generated.

Everything You Need To Run Your Knowledge Base 24/7

Managed hosting for SiYuan, so the parts that keep it online are not your problem.

SiYuan 3.8.2 deployed instantly
Official image pinned by digest
Access code generated for you
Workspace on a persistent volume
Free SSL certificate
Server backups and snapshots
Server security updates included
Choose your server region
Unused balance refunded

What You Can Do With SiYuan

Link ideas at block level
Reference a single block from anywhere and follow backlinks, so a note about a claim leads straight to every place it is used.
Study from your own notes
Turn notes into spaced-repetition flashcards inside the same workspace, instead of exporting them to a separate review tool.
Annotate research PDFs
Link to PDF annotations and use OCR, so reading material and your own writing sit together in one searchable place.
Keep a private workspace on your own server
Hold notebooks, assets and history on a volume you control, unlocked by an access code only you have, rather than in a hosted notes account.

SiYuan vs Alternatives

Notion: Notion is a hosted workspace. As a Notion alternative, SiYuan keeps notebooks, documents and assets on your own server, with block-level references and Markdown WYSIWYG editing.
Roam Research: Roam Research is a hosted note tool built around linked notes. SiYuan offers block-level references and two-way links too, as a SiYuan alternative to Roam Research on a server you own.
Obsidian: In a SiYuan vs Obsidian comparison, look at how SiYuan runs here: one container you reach from a browser, with block-level references, built-in flashcards and database views, and the whole workspace on your own server.
Logseq: In a SiYuan vs Logseq comparison, weigh what upstream lists for SiYuan: block-level references and two-way links, database table views, flashcards and PDF annotation links, run here as a server you reach from a browser.
Trilium Notes: Trilium Notes has its own OneClick page. Its catalogue entry describes a hierarchical note application for large personal knowledge bases, with note cloning, scripting and strong linking.

Ready To Own Your Knowledge Base?

SiYuan on xCloud runs on a dedicated Cloud VPS that we provision, patch, monitor and restore. Deploy faster. Own your notes. Stay in control.

Fast Provisioning
Deploy faster using an xCloud Managed Server built with optimized stacks and high-speed SSDs.
Enterprise-grade security
Protect your infrastructure with a free SSL certificate and more advanced security features at no additional cost.
Intuitive Control Panel
From Server creation to application deployment, everything can be managed from our intuitive control panel.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

Can you self-host SiYuan with Docker?

Yes, and this template is SiYuan Docker hosting without the setup. Upstream documents Docker deployment; here xCloud runs the official b3log/siyuan image pinned by digest as one container, with a generated access code, one workspace volume and HTTPS on your domain.

How much RAM does SiYuan need?

The template floor is 1024 MB of RAM, one CPU core and 5 GB of disk. The 6 GB plan is the entry rung here. Big knowledge bases, attachments, indexing, plugins and AI features can need more memory and disk than that floor.

How do I unlock SiYuan the first time?

Open your HTTPS URL and enter the generated access code from the protected installation credentials. The code protects the workspace and the administrator interface. Rotate it by changing ACCESS_AUTH_CODE in the Environment editor and redeploying, and keep it private.

Does SiYuan support end-to-end encrypted sync?

Not in this template. Upstream offers paid sync and member features, but this install includes no membership and no paid cloud sync. Docker access is browser-only, so the desktop and mobile apps cannot connect to it.

Is SiYuan free for commercial use?

Upstream says most features are free, even for commercial use, and some are for paying members only. The open-source application is AGPL-3.0 and the template configures none of the paid features. Check upstream's pricing before relying on a member feature.

What should I back up on a SiYuan server?

Back up the whole siyuan_workspace volume. It holds notebooks, documents, assets, indexes, configuration and history, so it is the single backup and restore boundary. Upstream warns against putting the live workspace on a third-party sync disk, which can corrupt data.

Backups in xCloud

How do I upgrade SiYuan?

v3.8.2 stays pinned until you move to a newer template version. Copy siyuan_workspace first and skim the upstream release notes. Nothing upgrades a running site by itself, and redeploying leaves the workspace volume in place.

Is SiYuan open source?

Yes. Upstream says SiYuan is completely open source, with the user interface and kernel under AGPL-3.0, and separate repositories for the mobile apps and the Chrome clipping extension. Paid member features are separate and not part of this template.

Is SiYuan better than Notion?

They differ in approach. SiYuan is a self-hosted, block-level, Markdown-based workspace that keeps data on your server; Notion is a hosted workspace. Upstream does not compare itself, so judge by whether you need self-hosting and block references.

Is there a SiYuan cloud service?

Upstream sells paid member features and sync, none of which this page includes. What you get instead is a workspace living on a Cloud VPS set up by xCloud, with notebooks kept on a volume you own.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. There is no lock-in — cancel any time. Hosting is billed monthly and charged for what you actually use, so when you delete the server the unused balance is refunded to your account, less up to 10% in payment-processing fees.