TL;DR
- Anytype combines local storage and P2P synchronization for partial sovereignty over your data (Anytype Docs)
- Open-core model: the code is accessible but under a restrictive license (Any Source Available License) limiting commercial use (Anytype Community Forum)
- End-to-end encryption with user-managed keys, even during cross-device synchronization (Anytype Docs)
- Modular ecosystem with support for relational templates and interconnected knowledge bases (PKM Method Guide)
- Current technical limitations: inability to modify templates after import (Anytype Community Forum)
- Active community contributing to translations and UX improvements (Anytype License Discussion)
1. The “Second Brain” Concept in the Digital Age
Personal knowledge management now goes far beyond simple note-taking. Yesterday, we discussed “notebook-style” note-taking. Anytype positions itself as a complete environment for structuring ideas, tasks, and references through a graphical approach. Unlike traditional cloud solutions, its local-first architecture allows you to create workspaces offline, synchronizable peer-to-peer via the AnySync protocol (Anytype Docs).
The tool excels at creating semantic relationships between objects, enabling the modelling of complex knowledge systems. A user can link a scientific article to their reading notes, then to a Kanban board of research tasks, all while maintaining granular permission controls (PKM Method Guide).
2. Anytype: Key Features for Sovereign PKM
2.1 Decentralized Storage and Encryption
Anytype implements AES-256 encryption with decentralized key management. Data is stored locally by default, with the option to synchronize via your own node or a third-party host (Anytype Docs). This hybrid approach meets the needs of users who want to avoid cloud lock-in while benefiting from multi-device accessibility.
2.2 Advanced Relational Modelling
The relations system allows you to create typed links between different entities (notes, tasks, files). Unlike Notion, these relations are stored as structured metadata, enabling complex queries through the graphical interface (PKM Method Guide).
2.3 Templates and Extensibility
Although post-hoc template modification is currently impossible (Anytype Community Forum), the community offers ready-to-use templates for various use cases: academic project management, technology monitoring, or medical tracking.
3. The Open-Core Paradox: Transparency with Conditions
Anytype adopts a partial open-source strategy, different from traditional FOSS solutions:
- Accessible but not free code: The Android and iOS clients are published under the Apache 2.0 license, but the core system (AnySync protocol) remains source-available with commercial restrictions (Anytype Android Client GitHub, Anytype Community Forum).
- Limited community governance: While technical contributions are encouraged (Anytype License Discussion), the strategic roadmap remains controlled by Any Association.
- Plugin ecosystem in development: The official SDK will eventually allow extending functionality, but with license-related limitations (Anytype Community Forum).
This pragmatic approach allows Anytype to fund its development while maintaining a certain level of transparency. For businesses, however, this implies a partial dependency on the vendor, despite the absence of data lock-in (Anytype Docs).
4. Comparison with FOSS Alternatives
Although Anytype is not fully open source, its model offers contextual advantages over purely FOSS solutions:
| Criterion | Anytype | QOwnNotes (FOSS) |
|---|---|---|
| Synchronization | Dedicated P2P protocol (Anytype Docs) | Depends on Nextcloud (QOwnNotes Overview) |
| Data model | Relational graph (PKM Method Guide) | Markdown files (QOwnNotes Concept) |
| Extensibility | SDK in development (Anytype Community Forum) | JavaScript plugins (QOwnNotes Overview) |
| Governance | Open-core (Anytype Community Forum) | Community-driven (QOwnNotes Overview) |
This table illustrates the trade-off between functional sophistication and absolute control. Anytype is particularly suited for users who need an integrated experience, while QOwnNotes remains ideal for open-format purists.
5. Outlook and Usage Recommendations
The Anytype team is working on several key improvements:
- ActivityPub standard support for federated interoperability (Anytype Community Forum)
- Local AI integration for semantic analysis (Anytype Community Forum)
- Official marketplace for templates and extensions (Anytype Community Forum)
For businesses, Blue Fox recommends:
- Assess actual sovereignty needs before large-scale deployment
- Combine Anytype with FOSS tools for sensitive data
- Contribute to the community to influence the roadmap
Blue Fox’s Take
At Blue Fox, we view Anytype as a strategic cornerstone in the ecosystem of sovereign productivity tools. Its open-core model, while imperfect, represents significant progress compared to fully proprietary solutions. Our support includes a personalized analysis of critical data flows and risk mitigation strategies related to restrictive licenses.
#SecondBrain #Anytype #PKM #DigitalSovereignty #OpenCore #KnowledgeManagement #Productivity
Sources:
- Anytype Community Forum (https://community.anytype.io/tag/Open-source)
- Anytype Android Client GitHub (https://github.com/anyproto/anytype-kotlin)
- Anytype License Discussion (https://www.reddit.com/r/Anytype/comments/153tmga/)
- Anytype Docs (https://github.com/anyproto/docs)
- PKM Method Guide (https://specifydev.uog.edu/how-to-personal-knowledge-management-with-anytype/)
- QOwnNotes Overview (https://www.qownnotes.org/getting-started/overview.html)
- QOwnNotes Concept (https://www.qownnotes.org/fr/getting-started/concept.html)