Codex Cryptica keeps your campaign on your own device — no account, hosted campaign service, or server administration required.
Kanka self-hosting gives you control by running your own server. Codex gives you control by not needing one. Kanka also offers a capable hosted service with unlimited campaigns and entries on its free plan; Codex takes a different route by keeping the core campaign workflow local-first.
Keep your Kanka campaign exactly where it is. Import a copy into Codex and see whether a local, offline Kanka alternative works better for you.
Self-hosted or local-first?
Self-hosting and local-first both put you in control, but they ask different things of you. Kanka's free edition can be self-hosted by operating its application services. Codex stores the working campaign on your device, so there is no campaign server to deploy, secure, patch, or keep online. You should still back up your local vault, just as you would any important files.
| What changes | Hosted Kanka | Self-hosted Kanka | Codex Cryptica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs the campaign server? | Kanka | You | No campaign server |
| You maintain infrastructure | No | Yes | No |
| Campaign data under your control | Hosted, with export | Yes | Yes, stored locally |
| Offline-first core workflow | No | Depends on your deployment | Yes |
| Account model | Kanka account | Self-managed account | No account required |
| Working data | Application database, with export | Self-hosted application database | Local vault and portable Markdown |
See how characters, factions, locations, and events connect in an interactive graph built from your campaign entities.
Organize locations on maps and track events across custom calendars, so geography and campaign history stay connected to your lore.
Create NPCs, factions, quests, dungeons, and other table-ready material, then use built-in dice, encounter, and session tools when play begins.
See the local vault in action
Codex turns your local campaign entities into an explorable relationship graph. Follow connections between characters, factions, places, and events while the underlying vault remains under your control.
| Feature | Kanka | Codex Cryptica |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment model | Hosted service; free edition can be self-hosted | Local-first app; no campaign server to operate |
| Core free-plan capacity | Unlimited campaigns and entries | No local campaign or entity limit |
| Offline core workflow | Hosted Kanka requires its service; self-hosting depends on deployment | Yes — the core vault is local-first |
| Account for the core workflow | Kanka account or a self-managed account | No account required |
| Working data and portability | Application-managed data with JSON and Markdown exports | Browser-local vault with Markdown folder sync |
| Multi-user collaboration | Mature hosted roles, permissions, and multi-device access | Local-first workflow with selected-content guest sessions |
You want collaboration and hosted access handled for you.
You want local control without becoming a server administrator.
Neither approach is universally better. Kanka is the stronger fit when a mature hosted campaign wiki and easy multi-user access matter most.
Codex Cryptica is the stronger fit when you want local working data, offline access, portable Markdown, and control without operating a self-hosted web application.
No account required. No subscription. All your campaign notes stay on your own device.
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