Awesome Note-Taking

A curated list of awesome note-taking software.

Legend

📖 notes are stored in plain text format (e.g. Markdown, org-mode, dokuwiki)

📕 notes are stored in a database or otherwise need an export for external use

🤖 Android support or app. Alternatively, see termux for CLI (including emacs and vim plugins) on Android devices.

👍 Recommended. In active use for many years by a pull-request author.

🔁 provides multi-device sync. Alternatively, see syncthing or any cloud provider

Contents

• Open Source
  • Native GUI
  • CLI
  • Editor Plugin
  • Electron
  • Tauri
  • Web UI
• Proprietary

Open Source

Native GUI

• ArcGIS location services - Postman Workspace - Official Postman collections to work with the Geocoding & Search API, Routing & Directions API, Demographics & GeoEnrichment API, Data hosting and more.
• 📕 AppFlowy - The Open Source Alternative To Notion.Supports macOS, Windows & Linux (rust+flutter).
• 📖 QOwnNotes - Open source plain-text file markdown note-taking native-application with Nextcloud / ownCloud integration.
• 📕 Cherrytree - A hierarchical note-taking app, featuring rich text and syntax highlighting.
• 📕 treesheets - Free Form Data Organizer using hierarchical spreadsheet. Open source native desktop application.
• 👍 📖 Zim Deskop Wiki - Open source multi-platform native desktop GUI to manage a collection of local wiki pages.
• 📕 Leo - PIM, IDE and outliner that accelerates the work flow of programmers, authors and web designers. Open source native desktop app.
• 🤖🔁 Tomboy - GNOME desktop note-taking application for Linux, Windows, and macOS.
• 📕 CrossLine - An outliner with sophisticated cross-link capabilities in the tradition of the well-respected Ecco Pro.
• 📖 nvpy - Open source cross-platform Simplenote syncing Notational Velocity and ResophNotes inspired note-taker.
• 📖 Red Notebook - Open source native desktop journal using plain-text files.
• 📖🤖 GitJournal - Open source markdown notes editor with integrated syncing with Git. Supports iOS, Android, Linux and MacOS (flutter).

CLI

• 📖 todo-txt - A simple and extensible shell script for managing your todo.txt file.
• 📖 zk - A command-line tool helping you to maintain a plain text Zettelkasten or personal wiki.
• Note CLI - Converts a markdown file to a SQLite database and provides a regular-expression searching capability.
• nb - A command line and local web note‑taking, bookmarking, archiving, and knowledge base application

Editor Plugin

• Visual Studio Code - Microsoft text editor
  • Foam - VSCode plugin inspired by Roam Research.
  • Dendron - VSCode plugin that uses hierarchical note structure.
  • Emanate - A structured view of your plain-text notes. Succesor to neuron.
• 🤖 Emacs - An open source, cross-platform, extensible, and customizable text editor.
  • 📖 Org-mode plain-text markup and major mode for keeping notes, authoring documents, computational notebooks, literate programming, …
  • 📖 Org-roam - plain-text personal knowledge management system inspired by roam research.
  • 📖 Org-brain - Concept mapping in Emacs using org-mode.
  • 📖 Deft - an Emacs mode for quickly browsing, filtering, and editing directories of plain text notes, inspired by Notational Velocity.
  • 📖 Hyperbole/Koutliner - multi-level autonumbered hypertextual outliner
  • 📖 howm - Note-taking tool on Emacs that can be combined with any format.
• 📖 vim-wiki - A personal wiki for Vim -- a number of linked text files that have their own syntax highlighting.

Electron

• Logseq - Local-first, non-linear, outliner notebook for organizing and sharing your personal knowledge base.
• Trilium notes - Powerfull app focused on building personal knowledge base. WYSIWYG.
• Zettlr - Markdown Editor for the 21st century.
• 🤖🔁 Standard Notes - A free, open-source, and completely encrypted notes app. macOS, Windows, & Linux app repository. Archived
• AnyType - Open source local-first electron and phone app for tasks, notes, and more.
• Bangle.io - A free alternative to Notion that takes markdown notes saved right in your computer
• Linked - Forget less by daily journaling, completely offline, secure and free. Supports macOS, Windows & Linux.
• Calculist - The open source thinking tool for problem solvers.

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• Notable - Free app for simple note taking based on VS Code Editor. Important: Notable is no longer Open Source as of Sep 28, 2019 (v1.8.4 / 7403a47)
• Athens - Open-source and local-first alternative to Roam Research. Important: Now abandoned by the author.

Tauri

• 📕 Treedome - Open-source and local-first, encrypted, note taking application organized in tree-like structures.

Web UI

• 📖🤖🔁 Joplin - Open source note taking app that supports synchronization and has Windows, Linux, Android, Cli builds. Supports import from Evernote.
• 📕 Laverna - Evernote like note-taking web application with a Markdown editor using indexedDB local storage.
• 📖 CodiMD - CodiMD is the free software version of HackMD with reduced features (without book mode).
• 📖 Dokuwiki - a simple to use and highly versatile Open Source wiki software that doesn't require a database.
• 📕 Hypothes.is - Annotate anything online.
• NattyNote - A free, open-source browser extension to take time-stamped YouTube notes.
• 📖 Fossil source control software with built-in stand-alone wiki pages.
• 📖 SilverBullet - Free, open-source self-hosted PWA for markdown notes.

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• Neuron - Future-proof open-source app for managing your plain-text notes in Zettelkasten style. Superceeded by Emanote.

Proprietary

• 📖 Obsidian - Free for personal use app, that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.
• Wridea - Web service to organize and improve ideas and notes by sharing with friends and necessary tools.
• Google Keep - Google Keep is a note-taking service developed by Google. It is available on the web and as mobile app.
• OneNote - Microsoft OneNote is a program for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration.
• Notebook - Mobile/Web/Desktop app to take multiple forms of notes from Zoho.
• Simplenote - Available for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, and the web and supports Markdown.
• Somnote - Record and save important information, ideas, and moments. Available for multiple platforms.
• Squid - Android app to take digital handwritten notes for class, work, or fun! Markup PDFs and sign documents.
• HackMD - HackMD helps developers write better documents and build active communities with open collaboration.
• Evernote - An (online) app designed for note-taking, organizing, task management, and archiving of different formats.
• Inkdrop - An (online) app for organizing Markdown notes.
• Workflowy - WorkFlowy is a web-based organizational tool to create todo lists, notes, team projects and others.
• DEVONthink - macOS or iPhone app with lots of features that can handle many files.
• Roam - A note-taking tool for networked thought.
• TheBrain - Mind mapping and personal knowledge base software application.
• Polar - An integrated reading environment to build your knowledge base.
• 📖📕🤖🔁 Supernotes – A multi-platform notes app built around markdown notecards and card nesting with real-time collaborative features.
• NotePlan - NotePlan combines tasks, notes, and calendar - all in one place. It is available on Web, MacOS and iOS.
• 📕🤖🔁 JournalCalls - Voice journal/note taking over a phone call, exports to markdown and Notion