Elyra
Fastest to get started
Why teams pick it
Launch quickly with streamlined setup and onboarding.
Open-source alternatives to Databricks Notebooks
Compare community-driven replacements for Databricks Notebooks in notebook & data science platforms workflows. We curate active, self-hostable options with transparent licensing so you can evaluate the right fit quickly.
Databricks Notebooks
Databricks Notebooks enable teams to coauthor notebooks with versioning and built-in visualizations, streamlining data science and ML workflows.Read more
Key stats
- 7Alternatives
- 6Active development
Recent commits in the last 6 months
- 5Permissive licenses
MIT, Apache, and similar licenses
Counts reflect projects currently indexed as alternatives to Databricks Notebooks.
Start with these picks
These projects match the most common migration paths for teams replacing Databricks Notebooks.
marimo
AI-powered workflows
Why teams pick it
Built‑in UI widgets and AI‑assisted cell generation
All open-source alternatives
marimo
Reactive Python notebooks that stay reproducible, git‑friendly, and deployable
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyPython
Why teams choose it
- Reactive execution automatically updates dependent cells
- Pure Python notebooks are git‑friendly and script‑runnable
- Built‑in UI widgets and AI‑assisted cell generation
Watch for
Learning curve for the reactive model
Migration highlight
Exploratory data analysis with live filters
Analysts adjust sliders and instantly see updated visualizations, keeping results consistent and reproducible.
Elyra
AI‑focused extensions that turn JupyterLab into a pipeline hub
Active developmentPermissive licenseFast to deployPython
Why teams choose it
- Visual Pipeline Editor for drag‑and‑drop workflow design
- Hybrid runtime execution via Jupyter Enterprise Gateway
- Integrated (experimental) debugger for Python scripts
Watch for
Debugger is marked experimental and may be unstable
Migration highlight
Create and run end‑to‑end ML pipelines
Design visual pipelines, connect notebook steps, and execute them on remote clusters with a single click.
Polynote
Polyglot notebook with IDE‑grade editing for Scala, Python, SQL
Active developmentPermissive licenseFast to deployJupyter Notebook
Why teams choose it
- IDE‑grade code editing with autocomplete and parameter hints
- WYSIWYG text cells with TeX equation support
- Seamless multi‑language notebooks sharing definitions across Scala, Python, SQL, Vega
Watch for
Experimental project may lack long‑term stability
Migration highlight
Exploratory data analysis with Scala and Spark
Combine Scala's type safety with Spark's distributed processing in an interactive notebook.
Pretzel
AI‑enhanced Jupyter alternative with seamless code assistance
Fast to deployAI-powered workflowsTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- Integrated AI code generation and editing directly in notebook cells
- Inline tab completion with variable and function suggestions
- AI sidebar for chat, code search, and on‑demand generation
Watch for
AI features depend on external model APIs, which may incur costs
Migration highlight
Rapid prototype generation
Generate boilerplate functions or visualizations in seconds using the AI prompt, reducing initial coding time.
Jupytext
Edit Jupyter notebooks as plain text scripts for seamless version control
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyPython
Why teams choose it
- Convert notebooks to .py, .md, .R, .jl and other script formats
- Paired notebook synchronization between .ipynb and script files
- Command‑line interface for batch conversion, syncing, and piping
Watch for
Notebook outputs are not stored in text formats
Migration highlight
Version‑controlled notebooks in Git
Store .py versions in Git, get clean diffs, and regenerate .ipynb outputs locally.
JupyterHub
Scalable multi-user hub for Jupyter notebooks
Active developmentPermissive licenseFast to deployPython
Why teams choose it
- Central Hub with Tornado server and configurable HTTP proxy
- Pluggable authenticators (PAM, OAuth, LDAP, Kerberos)
- Multiple spawners: local, Docker, Kubernetes, batch systems
Watch for
Default PAM authentication requires privileged setup
Migration highlight
Classroom notebook server
Students log in with university credentials and receive isolated notebook instances for assignments.
JupyterLab
Next-generation interactive computing environment for notebooks, code, and data
Active developmentFast to deployIntegration-friendlyTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- Modular UI with drag‑and‑drop layout for notebooks, terminals, and editors
- Rich extension ecosystem via npm, PyPI, and conda
- Native support for modern browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Safari)
Watch for
Requires Python environment setup
Migration highlight
Exploratory data analysis
Run notebooks, visualize results, and edit scripts side‑by‑side for faster insight generation.
Choosing a notebook & data science platforms alternative
Teams replacing Databricks Notebooks in notebook & data science platforms workflows typically weigh self-hosting needs, integration coverage, and licensing obligations.
- 6 options are actively maintained with recent commits.
Tip: shortlist one hosted and one self-hosted option so stakeholders can compare trade-offs before migrating away from Databricks Notebooks.