Proposal: org-roam-ui-lite - A Minimal, Maintainable Implementation for the org-roam-ui Ecosystem

[tani]

I'm excited to introduce org-roam-ui-lite, a lightweight and maintainable reimplementation of org-roam-ui's core visualization features. Built with deep respect for the original project's vision, this implementation focuses on simplicity, static export capabilities, and long-term maintainability.

Motivation

While org-roam-ui offers an impressive feature set, its complexity can present maintenance challenges. org-roam-ui-lite addresses these challenges by:

• Focusing on core functionality - Graph visualization and note browsing
• Minimizing dependencies - Reducing the maintenance burden
• Enabling static site generation - Built-in support for publishing to GitHub Pages, Netlify, etc.
• Providing a sustainable codebase - Clean architecture with comprehensive testing

Key Features

1. Minimal Yet Powerful

• Zero-configuration setup
• TypeScript throughout for type safety
• Comprehensive test coverage with Vitest
• Clean, maintainable codebase

2. Native Static Export

npm run export -- -d /path/to/org-roam.db -o /path/to/output
python3 -m http.server -d /path/to/output

Perfect for sharing knowledge bases without running a server!

3. Dual Backend Architecture

• Node.js Backend: Fast Hono server with modern tooling
• Emacs Backend: Single-file implementation using only simple-httpd

4. Modern Tech Stack

org-roam-ui-lite/
├── packages/
│   ├── backend/    # Hono + DrizzleORM + sql.js
│   ├── frontend/   # Vue 3 + Vite + Cytoscape/Force-Graph
│   └── emacs/      # Pure Elisp server (one file!)

Complementary, Not Competitive

org-roam-ui-lite is designed to complement org-roam-ui, not replace it:

Use Case	org-roam-ui	org-roam-ui-lite
Rich editing features	✅ Best choice	❌ Not supported
Static site publishing	⚠️ Requires setup	✅ Built-in
Maintenance complexity	⚠️ Complex	✅ Simple
Feature richness	✅ Comprehensive	⚠️ Essential only

Technical Highlights

Compatibility

• Uses the same org-roam database format
• Supports familiar themes (Nord, Gruvbox, Dracula)
• Multiple renderer options (Cytoscape, Force Graph, 3D Force Graph)

Quick Start

Pre-built Release

curl -fsSLO https://github.com/tani/org-roam-ui-lite/releases/latest/download/org-roam-ui-lite.zip
unzip ./org-roam-ui-lite.zip
cd org-roam-ui-lite
node ./backend/dist/serve.js -d /path/to/org-roam.db

Emacs Integration

(add-to-list 'load-path "/path/to/org-roam-ui-lite/emacs")
(require 'org-roam-ui-lite)
(org-roam-ui-lite-mode)

Vision for Integration

By joining the org-roam-ui family as org-roam-ui-lite, we can:

1. Expand user choice - Different tools for different needs
2. Share maintenance burden - Each project focuses on its strengths
3. Strengthen the ecosystem - Complementary solutions increase overall value
4. Improve sustainability - Simpler codebases are easier to maintain long-term

Resources

• GitHub Repository: https://github.com/tani/org-roam-ui-lite

Conclusion

org-roam-ui-lite represents a sustainable approach to org-roam visualization, prioritizing maintainability and static publishing while respecting the original project's pioneering vision. By working together, we can offer users a complete spectrum of tools for their knowledge management needs.

I would be honored to contribute org-roam-ui-lite to the org-roam-ui ecosystem and work alongside this amazing community.

Thank you for your consideration.

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Masaya Taniguchi
Creator of org-roam-ui-lite

P.S. Special thanks to the org-roam-ui team for creating such an inspiring project. Your work has been instrumental in shaping the org-roam ecosystem.