# Notion
Notion is an all-in-one workspace combining notes, wikis, databases, and project management. Founded in 2013 by Ivan Zhao and Simon Last, it gained popularity for its flexible block-based editor and powerful database features. Notion is often used for team documentation, knowledge bases, and collaborative workspaces.
While powerful for collaboration, Notion has limitations for [[Personal Knowledge Management (PKM)]] compared to tools like [[Obsidian]]: slower performance with large vaults, data stored in the cloud (not local), and less emphasis on bidirectional linking.
## Key Features
- **Block-based editor**: Everything is a draggable, nestable block
- **Databases**: Tables, boards, calendars, galleries with relations and rollups
- **Templates**: Reusable page structures
- **[[Wiki]]**: Team documentation with nested pages
- **Collaboration**: Real-time editing, comments, mentions
- **API**: Integrations and automations
- **AI features**: Writing assistance, summarization
## Use Cases
- Team documentation and wikis
- Project management (Kanban boards, roadmaps)
- Collaborative editing and knowledge bases
- Publishing websites (Notion Sites)
- Personal dashboards and databases
- CRM and inventory tracking
## Notion vs Obsidian
| Aspect | Notion | [[Obsidian]] |
|--------|--------|----------|
| Data storage | Cloud | Local files |
| Format | Proprietary | Markdown |
| Collaboration | Built-in | Limited |
| Performance | Slower | Fast |
| Offline | Limited | Full |
| Linking | Basic | Powerful graph |
## References
- https://notion.so
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notion_(productivity_software)
## Related
- [[Obsidian]]
- [[Personal Knowledge Management (PKM)]]
- [[Wiki]]
- [[Knowledge Management (KM)]]
- [[Notion CLI]]