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Comparison · Collab
ReadMe vs SiYuan
A side-by-side editorial comparison of ReadMe and SiYuan — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
ReadMe vs SiYuan: at a glance
What is ReadMe?
ReadMe rebuilt itself around an MDX editor and docs-as-code GitHub sync
ReadMe has come through a ground-up rebuild. The product now centers on an MDX-backed editor with live preview, bi-directional GitHub sync, and the ability to build reusable interactive components (graphs, buttons, steppers) styled with Tailwind. The most recent posts are component-building tutorials, which signals the rebuilt platform is in the hands of users and being documented for real use.
What is SiYuan?
After the 3.7 platform overhaul, SiYuan settles into a fast stabilization cadence.
SiYuan is in the consolidation phase that follows June's v3.7.0 release, which reworked the UI, added a kernel-resident plugin system, and shipped a CLI. The point releases since — v3.7.1, v3.7.2, and now the v3.7.3 betas — are almost entirely enhancement-and-bugfix work rather than new capability. Much of the effort targets cross-platform parity across iOS, Android, HarmonyOS, and iPad.
ReadMe vs SiYuan: editorial side-by-side
ReadMe
0.0COLLAB
ReadMe rebuilt itself around an MDX editor and docs-as-code GitHub sync
◆ Current state
ReadMe has come through a ground-up rebuild. The product now centers on an MDX-backed editor with live preview, bi-directional GitHub sync, and the ability to build reusable interactive components (graphs, buttons, steppers) styled with Tailwind. The most recent posts are component-building tutorials, which signals the rebuilt platform is in the hands of users and being documented for real use.
◆ Where it's heading
The direction is unambiguous: ReadMe is moving from a hosted docs CMS toward a developer-native, code-first documentation platform. MDX plus GitHub sync makes docs behave like source, and custom components turn static reference pages into interactive surfaces. The progression from the 'Refactored' announcement to hands-on component guides shows the platform maturing from launch into adoption.
◆ Prediction
Expect ReadMe to keep building out the custom-component and docs-as-code story — more component primitives, deeper Git workflow support, and tooling that leans into the interactive-API-reference angle. The interview and explainer posts suggest a continued developer-experience marketing push alongside the feature work.
SiYuan
6.3COLLAB
After the 3.7 platform overhaul, SiYuan settles into a fast stabilization cadence.
◆ Current state
SiYuan is in the consolidation phase that follows June's v3.7.0 release, which reworked the UI, added a kernel-resident plugin system, and shipped a CLI. The point releases since — v3.7.1, v3.7.2, and now the v3.7.3 betas — are almost entirely enhancement-and-bugfix work rather than new capability. Much of the effort targets cross-platform parity across iOS, Android, HarmonyOS, and iPad.
◆ Where it's heading
The team is hardening the surface area it opened in 3.7.0 rather than expanding it: search relevance, editor and table behavior, onboarding, crash handling, and mobile input keep recurring across releases. The alpha/beta/stable train is running quickly, with two or three pre-release cuts per point version. Expect the 3.7.x line to keep absorbing the rough edges of the redesign before the next directional move.
◆ Prediction
Near term, more 3.7.x point releases focused on cross-platform stability and editor polish. The clearest directional lever visible in these entries is the AI edit floating window, which could grow into the next meaningful expansion once the redesign stabilizes.
Alternatives to ReadMe and SiYuan
Other Collab products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either ReadMe or SiYuan.
Mumble
Mumble keeps its 1.5 VoIP line in slow maintenance while the 1.6.x rewrite inches through RC testing.
AFFiNE
AFFiNE's daily canaries quietly harden self-hosted auth ahead of a 0.27 cut
Anytype
Anytype grinds toward a stable beta: chat performance and editor reliability lead the work.
Teable
An open-source Airtable that's grinding its AI-agent layer to production-grade
Trilium Notes
Trilium narrows scope — dropping LLM integration while adding spreadsheets and OCR.
See all ReadMe alternatives → · See all SiYuan alternatives →
Recent activity from ReadMe and SiYuan
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 23h agoSiYuanSiYuan v3.7.3-beta.2
- 1d agoSiYuanSiYuan v3.7.3-beta.1
- 6d agoSiYuanv3.7.2: AI edit window, Mermaid line numbers, mobile fixes
- 12d agoSiYuanSiYuan v3.7.2-alpha.2
- 13d agoSiYuanSiYuan v3.7.2-alpha.1
- 16d agoSiYuanv3.7.1: FTS5 index dedup, notification settings, drag-select
- 1y agoReadMeHow to Build a Stepper Component with MDX & Tailwind
- 1y agoReadMeBuild Customizable, Reusable Components for Your Docs and Developers
- 1y agoReadMeReadMe's Bi-Directional Sync with GitHub
- 1y agoReadMeReadMe Refactored ⚡
- 1y agoReadMeAPI Workflow Automations with Josue Negron of OneTrust
- 2y agoReadMeMeet the Personalities Behind Your Docs’ Personalization
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ReadMe and SiYuan?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. SiYuan is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is ReadMe better than SiYuan?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. SiYuan is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Collab products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to ReadMe?
Top ReadMe alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "ReadMe alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/readme for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to SiYuan?
Top SiYuan alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "SiYuan alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/siyuan for the full list with editorial commentary on each.