Editions

QuestionBank comes in two deployment editions with exactly the same features. They differ in where they run and the scale they suit.

Edition Model

QuestionBank
├── Desktop edition (Windows tray app / macOS menu-bar app)
│   ├── Personal use   —— binds to 127.0.0.1, local access only, single user
│   └── LAN sharing    —— enabled from the tray, binds to 0.0.0.0 + firewall rule, multiple users on the same subnet
└── Server edition (Docker Compose)
    —— MySQL + ChromaDB + Backend + Worker + Frontend, for teams / production

Comparison

Aspect	Desktop · Personal Use	Desktop · LAN Sharing	Server Edition
Runs on	Windows / macOS desktop app	Windows / macOS desktop app	Server / Docker
Installation	One-click installer	One-click installer	Docker Compose
Database	SQLite (built in)	SQLite (built in)	MySQL 8.0
Access scope	This computer only	Same LAN	LAN / intranet / internet (self-configured)
Multiple users	Mainly single user	Yes, everyone shares one data set	Yes, built for teams
Data directory	%APPDATA%/QuestionBank	%APPDATA%/QuestionBank	Server volumes / MySQL
Upgrades	Install over the existing version	Install over the existing version	Pull new images and recreate
Maintenance effort	Very low	Low	Medium (requires running Docker/MySQL)
Best for	Individual teachers, lesson prep	Teaching groups, computer labs, small teams	Schools / organizations / production deployments

Which One Should I Use?

• Only on your own computer → Desktop edition · Personal Use
• A few people sharing one question bank in the same office / computer lab → Desktop edition · LAN Sharing
• Larger teams that need an always-on service, intranet / internet access, or stronger concurrency and backups → Server edition

Data is portable

The desktop and server editions share the same data model. As your team grows, you can migrate from the desktop edition to the server edition (export questions / migrate the database) without re-entering questions. See Database & Migrations for the migration steps.

LAN Sharing vs. the Server Edition

Both support multiple users, but they serve different purposes:

• LAN sharing is a switch in the desktop edition: it temporarily opens the desktop app on your computer to colleagues on the same subnet and depends on your computer being on. It is off by default and suits lightweight collaboration.
• The server edition runs on an always-on server with MySQL, offering better concurrency, stability, and backups. It suits a team's official question bank service.