Docmost

Docmost is a modern, open‑source wiki platform engineered for collaborative knowledge management in enterprise environments. Built on a TypeScript codebase, the application delivers real‑time editing, granular role‑based access control (RBAC), and a rich set of content types—including embedded diagrams from Draw.io, Excalidraw, Mermaid, and external services such as Airtable, Loom, and Miro. The core engine exposes a RESTful API and GraphQL endpoints that allow developers to programmatically create, update, or query pages, spaces, users, and permissions. A WebSocket layer powers the live‑cursor collaboration experience, ensuring low‑latency updates across distributed clients.

Architecture

Docmost follows a micro‑service‑like monorepo structure using the Yarn Workspaces pattern. The server (apps/server) is a Node.js/Express application written in TypeScript, leveraging PostgreSQL for relational data and Redis as a message broker for real‑time events. The client (apps/client) is a single‑page React application built with Vite, utilizing the Slate editor core for rich text and custom plugins. The monorepo also contains a dedicated packages/ee folder that houses enterprise‑specific features (SAML, OpenID Connect, LDAP, advanced analytics) protected under an AGPL‑3.0 license for the core and a commercial enterprise license for the add‑ons.

The deployment model is container‑first: Docker images are provided for both the server and client, with optional Kubernetes manifests in the deploy/k8s directory. Horizontal scaling is achieved by running multiple server replicas behind a load balancer, while the Redis cluster handles pub/sub for collaboration events. The database layer is fully ACID‑compliant, and migrations are managed via TypeORM.

Core Capabilities

• Real‑time Collaboration – WebSocket based live editing with per‑cursor presence.
• Diagram & Embed Support – Native integration with Draw.io, Excalidraw, Mermaid; embed blocks for Airtable, Loom, Miro, and more.
• Search & Indexing – Algolia integration for full‑text search across pages and attachments.
• Permissions & Groups – Fine‑grained RBAC, group membership, and space‑level access controls.
• API & Webhooks – REST/GraphQL API for CRUD operations; outbound webhooks for event notifications.
• Internationalization – Multi‑language support (10+ locales) with Crowdin integration for translation workflows.

Deployment & Infrastructure

Docmost can be deployed on any Linux host that supports Docker or Kubernetes. The official images are lightweight (≈200 MB) and expose environment variables for database URLs, Redis endpoints, and SSO providers. For high‑availability setups, the documentation recommends a PostgreSQL cluster (Patroni or Citus) and Redis Sentinel. The application is designed to scale horizontally: stateless server instances can be spun up behind an NGINX or Traefik reverse proxy, while the Redis pub/sub layer ensures consistent collaboration state across pods.

Integration & Extensibility

Developers can extend Docmost through:

• Plugin API – Register custom editor plugins or UI components via the packages/plugins interface.
• Webhook Endpoints – Subscribe to page edits, comment events, or user activity for external automation.
• SSO & MFA – Plug in SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect, or LDAP for enterprise authentication.
• Custom Storage – Replace the default PostgreSQL adapter with a custom persistence layer if needed.

The open‑source core encourages community contributions; the monorepo’s CI pipeline automatically tests against multiple Node.js versions and runs linting across all packages.

Developer Experience

Docmost’s documentation is structured around self‑hosting, development, and API usage. The docs/self-hosting/development guide walks through cloning the repo, setting up local databases, and running hot‑reload builds. TypeScript typings are shipped with the server SDK, enabling IDE autocomplete for API calls. The community forum and GitHub Discussions provide quick support, while the maintainers actively review pull requests to keep the codebase modern and secure.

Use Cases

• Enterprise Knowledge Base – Replace Confluence or Notion with a self‑hosted, SSO‑enabled wiki that preserves data sovereignty.
• Project Documentation Hub – Create team spaces with fine‑grained permissions for agile teams or product documentation.
• Public Documentation Portal – Expose selected pages as public links, ideal for open‑source projects or community guides.
• Compliance & Auditing – Leverage page history, user activity logs, and RBAC to meet regulatory requirements.

Advantages

Docmost offers a blend of performance, flexibility, and licensing freedom that sets it apart from proprietary solutions. Its real‑time collaboration stack is built on proven WebSocket patterns, while the modular architecture allows teams to cherry‑pick enterprise features. The AGPL‑3.0 license ensures that any derivative work remains open, fostering community innovation. Moreover, the built‑in diagram editors and Algolia search give developers a feature set that would otherwise require stitching together multiple third‑party tools.