HedgeDoc

HedgeDoc is a free, open-source Markdown editor for collaborative notes, diagrams, and presentations. It runs in a web browser and can be self-hosted. People can edit notes together in real time by sharing a link, and notes can include graphs, diagrams, and embedded content. Users can also write and present Markdown slides powered by reveal.js. Revision history records changes and allows an earlier version to be restored. HedgeDoc 1.x provides six note permissions, from open access to private; only the note owner can change a note’s permission. Its documentation describes authentication integrations including LDAP, OAuth, SAML, GitHub, GitLab, Keycloak, Mattermost, Nextcloud, and Microsoft Entra ID. Image uploads can use storage backends such as filesystem, Imgur, S3, MinIO, Azure, or Lutim. Deployment options include a ready-to-use bundle and an official Docker image supporting amd64 and arm64. The source code is licensed under AGPL 3.0. Built-in PDF export is deactivated; the project suggests using a browser’s print-to-PDF option instead.

HedgeDoc supports collaborative notes and Markdown presentations, with configurable permissions and revision history. Readers should note that built-in PDF export is unavailable and that the project advises against multiple server instances using the same database.

HedgeDoc suits people who want collaborative Markdown notes, diagrams, or presentations in a browser or on self-hosted infrastructure. Its documented authentication and image-storage options may also suit teams configuring their own deployment.

HedgeDoc is a self-hosted, web-based Markdown workspace for people who need shared notes, technical diagrams, or slide decks without handing documents to a hosted vendor. It is best for Markdown-literate teams willing to administer their own service. Its zero-cost, real-time collaboration is compelling, but the lack of comments and built-in PDF export narrows its fit for polished document workflows.

Overview

Share a note link and contributors can edit together in real time, including as guests. Unlimited revision history records changes and lets an owner restore an earlier version, making the editor practical for meeting notes, project documentation, and living specifications. HedgeDoc stays deliberately focused on Markdown rather than trying to be a full office suite; teams that depend on threaded review or rich word-processing features will need other tools alongside it.

Key features

Collaboration and access control

HedgeDoc 1.x provides six note permissions: Freely, Editable, Limited, Locked, Protected, and Private. Only the note owner can change a note's permission, so ownership remains clear, but administrators and authors must choose settings carefully when a link is shared widely. Guest access is useful for occasional contributors, while the absence of comments means feedback must be written into the note or handled in another channel.

Slides, diagrams, and embeds

A Markdown note can become a presentation through reveal.js. Support for several graph and diagram types plus embedded content extends HedgeDoc beyond plain prose, especially for engineering documentation and explanatory material. Users already comfortable expressing structure in Markdown will get more from these tools than people seeking a visual, drag-and-drop presentation editor.

Authentication, storage, and deployment

Authentication integrations cover LDAP, OAuth, SAML, GitHub, GitLab, Keycloak, Mattermost, Nextcloud, and Microsoft Entra ID. Image uploads can use filesystem storage or backends including Imgur, S3, MinIO, Azure, and Lutim. A ready-to-use bundle and official Docker image simplify deployment, with images for amd64 and arm64. Administrators can configure HSTS and Content Security Policy; disabling CSP materially weakens application security and should not be treated as a convenience setting.

Export and scaling constraints

Built-in PDF export was disabled after vulnerabilities in the headless Chromium process used to generate PDFs. Browser print-to-PDF is the current workaround, so teams producing PDFs routinely should account for that extra step. The project also advises against running multiple HedgeDoc server instances against one database because the server process is not entirely stateless; larger deployments need an architecture that respects that limitation.

Pricing

HedgeDoc is open source under AGPL 3.0. The sole listed plan, HedgeDoc, costs nothing and includes real-time editing, unlimited version history, and guest access. There are no comments, and no paid tiers or seat-based quotas are listed. That makes it attractive to organizations able to provide their own hosting and operations, while the apparent price advantage shifts infrastructure, upgrades, storage, and support responsibility to the operator.

Platforms

HedgeDoc runs as a self-hosted web application. It is accessible through a browser rather than a native desktop or mobile app, and Docker images support both amd64 and arm64 hardware.

Who it's for

Choose HedgeDoc for a team that values open-source licensing, control of data location, Markdown workflows, and live co-authoring. It also suits technical groups that need notes to double as diagrams or reveal.js presentations. Look elsewhere if dedicated comments, dependable one-click PDF generation, native apps, or a hands-off hosted service are core requirements.

Pros and cons

• Pros: free AGPL software avoids per-seat licensing; real-time editing and guest access make link-based collaboration straightforward; unlimited revisions support recovery and accountability; six permission levels provide useful control; presentation, diagram, and embed support broadens Markdown's role; broad identity and image-storage integrations help fit existing infrastructure.
• Cons: no comments means review discussions need another mechanism; PDF export is disabled and requires browser printing; self-hosting entails operational responsibility; a shared database should not serve multiple HedgeDoc server instances; web-only access may disappoint users expecting native apps.

Alternatives

StackEdit is a free, open-source web editor with no stated paid plans or usage limits, worth considering when you want a simpler browser Markdown option. Pick HackMD instead when a hosted freemium service and defined teammate and collaboration allowances are preferable. MWeb is the alternative for macOS and iOS users who want a paid native application with a lifetime license option. Dillinger suits a no-signup web editor with no stated usage limits. MarkText, Ghostwriter, and Zettlr are free open-source desktop Markdown choices for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Choose iA Writer when you want native macOS, Windows, and iOS apps and are comfortable with platform-specific purchases.

For broader comparisons, see our Markdown editors, Collaborative Document Software, Document Collaboration Software, Writing Apps, and Note-taking apps lists.

Verdict

HedgeDoc is a strong recommendation for Markdown-fluent teams that want free, self-hosted collaboration with revision control and presentation support. Choose it primarily for ownership and flexibility; choose another platform if comments, native clients, or reliable built-in PDF export are non-negotiable.