Open Source Note-Taking Apps
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Note-Taking Apps
View 153 business solutionsBrowse free open source Note-Taking apps and projects below. Use the toggles on the left to filter open source Note-Taking apps by OS, license, language, programming language, and project status.
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Skim
A PDF Reader and Note-taker for OS X
Skim is a PDF reader and note-taker for OS X. It is designed to help you read and annotate scientific papers in PDF, but is also great for viewing any PDF file. Skim requires OS X 10.10 or higher. -
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Joplin Desktop Linux Package
Repo with Joplin Desktop pre-built packages for Debian/Ubuntu
This is a repository containing the deb package of a pre-built version of Joplin Desktop for Debian/Ubuntu. It should work on latest LTS releases and up. For more info and reporting issues, please visit the source repo. -
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A simple notepad-like text editor with many features. It is designed to be a small and fast.
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Notepad Next
A cross-platform, reimplementation of Notepad++
A cross-platform, reimplementation of Notepad++. Though the application overall is stable and usable, it should not be considered safe for critically important work. There are numerous bugs and half-working implementations. Pull requests are greatly appreciated. Windows packages are available as an installer or a stand-alone zip file on the release page. The installer provides additional components such as an auto-updater and Windows context menu integration. -
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Xournal++
A handwriting notetaking software with PDF annotation support
Xournal++ (/ˌzɚnl̟ˌplʌsˈplʌs/) is an open-source and cross-platform note-taking software that is fast, flexible, and functional. A modern rewrite and a more feature-rich version of the wonderful Xournal program. Support for pressure-sensitive stylus and drawing tablets (Wacom, Huion, XP-Pen, etc.) Robust and customizable pen, highlighter and eraser tools, allowing you to write how you want to write. Use layers to make complex notes that are still pleasant to work with. Keep track of the notes by using page previews. Add images and create various shapes, from circles to splines to axis. Snap objects to rectangular grid or degrees of rotation. Create anything from differential equations to electrical circuits or the structural formula of molecules using our built-in LaTeX editor. Customize your toolbar to create a new layout, tailor-made for you. -
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Joplin
Open source note taking and to-do app with synchronization
Joplin is a free and open source note-taking and to-do application that can handle a large number of notes in Markdown format, organize them into notebooks and synchronize them with various cloud services. All notes can also be copied, tagged, searched and modified directly from the app or through your own text editor. Notes that are exported from Evernote can be imported into Joplin, be it formatted content, resources, complete metadata or plain Markdown files. When notes are synchronized with cloud services, notebooks, tags and other metadata can easily be moved, inspected or backed up as plain text files. Supported cloud services include Nextcloud, OneDrive, Dropbox and WebDAV. Joplin is available for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android, with three types: desktop, mobile and terminal. All of them have similar user interfaces and can be synchronized with each other. -
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Obsidian
Community plugins list, theme list, and releases of Obsidian
The Obsidian Releases repository provides the official distribution builds and installers for Obsidian, the popular markdown-based knowledge management and personal wiki application. Obsidian itself is a powerful, offline-first note-taking tool that helps users build interconnected knowledge graphs using markdown files stored locally on their devices, with plugins and community themes for extensibility. This repository houses versioned compiled binaries and packages for multiple platforms such as Windows, macOS, and Linux, enabling users to download stable or nightly builds directly without needing to build the app from source. By maintaining clear version history and downloadable artifacts, it makes it easy for individuals and organizations to audit, rollback, or pin specific Obsidian releases for workflows that depend on stability or particular plugin compatibility. -
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Xournal is a GTK+/Gnome application for notetaking, sketching, keeping a journal using a stylus on Tablet PCs and other platforms. It aims to provide superior graphical quality (subpixel resolution) and overall functionality.
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TagSpaces
TagSpaces is an offline, open source, document manager with tagging
TagSpaces is a free, no vendor lock-in, open source application for organizing, annotating and managing local files with the help of tags. It features advanced note taking functionalities and some capabilities of to-do apps. The application is available for Windows, Linux, Mac OS and Android. We provide a web clipper extension for Firefox, Edge and Chrome for easy collecting of online content in the form of local files. File and folder management - TagSpaces provides a convenient user interface for browsing, viewing and man files and folders. The application supports two ways for tagging files. The default one embeds the tags directly in the name of the file, the other one uses a so called sidecar files for persisting the tags. The search functionality supports fuzzy functionality and can filter your locations for files and folders containing one or more tags. -
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QOwnNotes
QOwnNotes is a plain-text file notepad and todo-list manager
QOwnNotes is a fully open-source markdown-focused note-taking and personal information manager that runs natively on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with a strong emphasis on plain-text storage and cross-device synchronization. Because all notes are stored as markdown files in user-controlled directories, you avoid vendor lock-in and can sync through services like Nextcloud, ownCloud, Dropbox, or Git without proprietary cloud dependency. The application is optimized for performance and minimal footprint, so it runs smoothly even with large note libraries, and it includes features like a live markdown preview panel that lets you see rendered text alongside raw markdown as you type. QOwnNotes supports hierarchical folders and tagging, making it easy to organize, filter, and retrieve information quickly, and it also integrates to-do lists and task markers directly in your notes. -
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Notesnook
A fully open source & end-to-end encrypted note taking alternative
Notesnook makes it impossible for anyone to spy on your notes. Unlike Evernote and other note taking apps, your data is private, not open for everyone to see. Ditch other note taking apps that don't care about your data privacy. With app lock and private notes vault, your personal diary & journal are always safe. Worried that your friend will read your private notes? Notesnook fixes that by having an app lock built-in. Use a pin or biometrics to protect your notes. Protect your online journal or personal diary with an extra layer of security. Your notes vault is a super secure way to store your passwords, credentials & other secrets. Free or Pro, you get the same level of privacy. Making privacy a paid feature means only the privileged few deserve it but privacy is your right. And rights don't have a price tag, or do they? To verify that your notes are actually encrypted (and we aren't just lying), you can use our open source tool, Vericrypt. -
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Lorien
Infinite canvas drawing/whiteboarding app
Lorien is a fast, lightweight infinite-canvas drawing and note-taking application designed for brainstorming, sketching, and freeform diagramming without the bloat of traditional bitmap editors. Instead of storing raster image data, Lorien saves each brush stroke as vector-like points and reconstructs drawings at runtime, resulting in extremely small save files and smooth performance even on large canvases. The app runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it’s built using the Godot game engine, which gives it a responsive and modern user interface across platforms. Users get features like infinite zoom, undo/redo, and a grid that stretches endlessly, making it well suited to both quick scribbles and detailed conceptual layouts. Lorien supports pressure-sensitive tablets for natural drawing, and it includes a range of basic tools — from freehand brush and eraser to shapes and selection tools — so you can mix freeform sketches with structured diagrams. -
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Makagiga
To-do manager, notepad, RSS reader...
Makagiga is an open-source, easy-to-use, portable application for doing a variety of tasks, such as todo listing, text editing, or RSS reading. Plugins are used to implement its various capabilities. -
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Notes
Note taking application, write down your thoughts.
Notes is an open source, cross-platform note-taking application. Write down your thoughts with ease, and always have them with you with this simple, streamlined app. -
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Open Notebook
An Open Source implementation of Notebook LM with more flexibility
Open Notebook is an open-source, privacy-focused alternative to Google’s Notebook LM that gives users full control over their research and AI workflows. Designed to be self-hosted, it ensures complete data sovereignty by keeping your content local or within your own infrastructure. The platform supports 16+ AI providers—including OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, Google, and LM Studio—allowing flexible model choice and cost optimization. Open Notebook enables users to organize and analyze multi-modal content such as PDFs, videos, audio files, web pages, and Office documents. It combines full-text and vector search with context-aware AI chat to deliver insights grounded in your own research materials. With advanced features like multi-speaker podcast generation, customizable content transformations, and a comprehensive REST API, Open Notebook provides a powerful and extensible research environment. -
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GloboNote
Create sticky notes, to-do list, journals & reminders all in one app
GloboNote is a free and easy to use desktop note taking application. It lets you create sticky notes, to-do lists, journals, reminders and other notes in one place. There are no limits to the number of sticky notes you can create. Notes can be organize by groups and search using the search tool. GloboNote can be run in any OS that has Java 8 installed. -
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Crossnote App
An interesting markdown note taking application
Crossnote is a Progressive Web Application built as a markdown-focused note reader and editor that works both offline and online, giving users a flexible platform for writing, organizing, and synchronizing notes. It distinguishes itself by supporting markdown editing with a rich set of formatting options, and by enabling integration with version control systems like git for syncing notebooks in arbitrary repositories. Users can add, edit, and manage markdown documents in the browser, and because it uses modern web technologies, the app caches itself and local data to work seamlessly when a network connection is unavailable. While the backend server that used to support hosted functionality is no longer maintained, the core frontend still offers a slick note-taking experience. Crossnote’s design takes inspiration from tools like markdown preview extensions and collaborative editors. -
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Super comprehensive deep learning notes
Super Comprehensive Deep Learning Notes
Super comprehensive deep learning notes is a massive and well-structured collection of deep learning notebooks that serve as a comprehensive study resource for anyone wanting to learn or reinforce concepts in computer vision, natural language processing, deep learning architectures, and even large-model agents. The repository contains hundreds of Jupyter notebooks that are richly annotated and organized by topic, progressing from basic Python and PyTorch fundamentals to advanced neural network designs like ResNet, transformers, and object detection algorithms. It’s not just a dry code repository; it includes theoretical explanations alongside hands-on examples, loss function explorations, optimization routines, and full end-to-end experiments on real datasets, making it highly suitable for both self-study and classroom use. -
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nb
CLI and local web plain text note‑taking, bookmarking, and archiving
nb is a powerful, flexible, and self-contained note-taking and knowledge management application that empowers users to write, organize, search, and archive plain-text notes, bookmarks, and tasks from the command line or through a local web server. Designed to be portable and vendor-independent, it stores all content as plain text files with optional encryption, which means notes can be versioned, diffed, and synced with Git just like code, giving users fine-grained control over their personal information. The tool supports tagging, linking with wiki-style references, filtering, pinned items, and full-text search, making it easy to build a structured knowledge base or Zettelkasten system that grows over time. Users can bookmark web pages and have content auto-cleaned and saved alongside their notes, which gives nb a combined role as both a personal wiki and a bookmarks manager, organized through tags and folders. -
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Notepad X is an alternative open source text editor for Microsoft Windows, with a lot of customization options created to help users managing text documents featuring tab navigation.
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Old Win32 Notepad
Old Windows Notepad remake
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Dnote
A simple command line notebook
Dnote is a personal knowledge management tool focused on easily capturing, organizing, and retrieving technical notes such as code snippets, terminal commands, and short documentation, all while keeping content accessible and searchable. It is designed around fast, distraction-free workflows that let users jot down notes quickly from the terminal or a web interface, ensuring that insights and solutions are captured at the moment they occur. With structured tagging and hierarchical organization, Dnote encourages users to categorize entries in ways that align with their own thinking rather than forcing a rigid notebook structure. Its search is optimized to handle large collections of notes, allowing users to find relevant information instantly, which makes it especially helpful for developers, engineers, and power users who accumulate practical knowledge over time. -
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Poznote
Poznote is a personal note-taking and documentation platform
Poznote is an open-source, self-hosted note-taking and personal knowledge management platform that combines modern editing features with robust organizational tools to help users capture, structure, and retrieve information efficiently. It supports rich text and Markdown editing alongside outline-style notes, attachments, workspaces, folders, and tags, making it suitable for everything from quick daily journaling to long-term documentation projects. Poznote includes a RESTful API that enables programmatic access and integration with other tools, and it even offers an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server to let AI assistants interact with your notes via natural language commands. In addition to basic note creation and editing, the platform features powerful full-text search, public sharing links, backups and exports, trash management, and multi-user support with profiles isolated per user, giving individuals and teams control over their content. -
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Simplenote for Android
Simplenote for Android
Simplenote for Android is the open-source Android client for Simplenote, a lightweight, fast, and free note-taking app that syncs text notes, to-dos, and ideas across all devices automatically. The Android version provides a clean and minimalist interface optimized for phones and tablets where users can quickly jot down thoughts, organize them with searchable tags, and have everything backed up and synchronized via the Simplenote service. Users can also create checklists, pin important notes for quick access, and instantly find content using powerful keyword search tools. The app supports Markdown formatting, letting users add structured text like headers, lists, and links with easy previewing. Because it ties into the same Simplenote account used on iOS, macOS, web, or desktop apps, content stays consistent and accessible regardless of the platform you use. -
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memos
An open-source, self-hosted memo hub with knowledge management
A lightweight, self-hosted memo hub. Open Source and Free forever. memos provides the privacy security and reliability that innovators need in their moments of inspiration. Keep your own data by yourself. All data generated at runtime is saved in the SQLite database file. All content will be saved as plain text, not HTML. And lots of useful markdown syntaxes are supported. Using Go + React.js + SQLite architecture, the overall package is very lightweight. You can customize the server name, icon, description, custom system style and execution script, etc. memos believes that open source is the future, and all code is already open source in GitHub. All features are free forever and will never be charged in any form or content.
Guide to Open Source Note-Taking Apps
Open source note-taking apps are tools designed to help people record and organize notes. These apps are typically free to use and can be accessed by multiple users at the same time. Open source note-taking apps often have a variety of features that make them appealing for both businesses and individuals.
At the most basic level, open source note-taking apps allow users to create notes within their app or import existing ones from other sources. Once they’ve imported their content, they can add tags, organize their items into folders, or share with other users if necessary. They also typically offer some type of search feature so that a user can quickly find what they need when time is limited.
Most open source note-taking apps come with some type of cloud storage integration. This allows you to store all your documents in one place so you don't have to worry about transferring files between devices or backing up your data frequently. Popular cloud storage solutions like Dropbox are often integrated with these kinds of applications making it easy for everyone on the team to access the same set of documents regardless of where they're located.
In addition, many open source note-taking apps come equipped with collaboration tools such as sharing abilities which enable teammates or groups to work together on shared tasks without having to physically be in the same room together (or even in different countries). Some will also provide customizable permissions so admins can control who has access to certain parts of an application while preventing unauthorized modification or deletion altogether.
Finally, some open source note-taking applications include advanced features such as audio recording capabilities which allow users to easily transcribe interviews and meetings into written notes right away; automatic backups which ensure all information remains safe no matter what happens; and file encryption for those worried about their privacy online. All these features make these types of programs extremely useful for those who need an efficient way of taking notes and keeping track of important projects simultaneously without compromising any security measures whatsoever.
Features Offered by Open Source Note-Taking Apps
- Note Creation: Open source note-taking apps provide users with the ability to create, edit, and store notes. This feature allows users to record ideas, thoughts, instructions, and more in a secure location.
- Customized Formats: With open source note-taking apps, users are able to customize the format of their notes by adding images, sketches, audio recordings and more.
- Cloud Storage: The cloud storage feature offered by open source note-taking apps gives users the ability to store their notes safely in remote servers. This provides a secure backup plan for all their important data while also allowing them easy access from anywhere through an internet connection.
- Sharing & Collaboration Options: Open source note-taking apps also allow users to share and collaborate on their notes with others through various online platforms such as email or messaging applications. This makes it easier for teams or individuals working on a project together to make changes collaboratively without having to meet face-to-face.
- Search Support: Open source note-taking apps provide powerful search options that help users quickly find what they’re looking for within their individual notes or across multiple files stored within the application itself. This can be extremely handy when trying to locate specific information that might have been overlooked previously.
- Password Protection: To ensure the safety and security of their notes, open source note-taking apps provide users with the option to set passwords on specific files. This can be especially useful for those who wish to keep sensitive information secure from prying eyes.
What Types of Open Source Note-Taking Apps Are There?
- Plain Text Editors: These open source note-taking apps allow users to store notes or other snippets of information in plain text files, which can be edited in any text editor. They offer basic formatting, such as lists and headings, and the advantage of being quick and easy to use.
- Markdown Editors: These open source note-taking apps support a simplified markup syntax called “markdown”, which allows for simple formatting options like headings, bolding and bullet points. They usually offer features such as spellcheckers and table editing.
- GUI Apps: These open source note-taking apps take the form of graphical user interface (GUI) applications that are designed to make it easier for users to create and edit notes without having to worry about writing code or learning markup languages. This type of note-taking app may include more advanced features such as tabbed windows for organizing content, drag & drop functionality for moving data around within documents quickly, live previews when coding, etc.
- Outliners: These open source note-taking apps provide an outline structure with multiple levels of nesting in order to organize large amounts of data into manageable chunks. Many outliner softwares offer additional features such as checkboxes for tracking task completion and timestamps for annotating document edits over time.
- Cross Platform Tools: Some open source note taking apps are designed to work on multiple platforms; either across different operating systems (such as Windows, Mac OS X & Linux), or even through web browsers and mobile devices like smartphones & tablets. This way you can access your notes anywhere while still keeping them organized using the same tool no matter what device you’re using at any given moment.
Benefits Provided by Open Source Note-Taking Apps
- Cost: Open source note-taking apps are often free to use, meaning users don’t have to pay upfront for the software. This makes these apps more accessible, as people without deep pockets can take advantage of them.
- Customization: Open source note-taking apps typically offer a wide range of customization options that allow users to tailor the software to their individual needs. From selecting themes and fonts, adding plugins and choosing from various templates, you can make your app feel like it was designed just for you.
- Security: Since open source apps are developed by communities of developers who work steadily to improve the code and debug any security issues that arise, they tend to be much more secure than proprietary alternatives.
- Community Support: Open source projects usually also come with a supportive community behind them. There are often forums or chatrooms dedicated strictly to helping users troubleshoot or answer questions about how certain features work or why something might not be working correctly. This means help is never far away if a user finds themselves in need.
- Upgrades & Updates: With open source projects there is always the opportunity for upgrades and updates since developers push out new releases on a regular basis. These upgrades and updates could include new features, bug fixes, security patches or other improvements that may have become necessary over time due to changing technology environments or trends in usage habits from users.
- Flexible Platforms: For developers, open source note-taking apps often mean better interoperability and multiple platform support. This means that the same app can be used on different devices or operating systems without needing to rewrite code or modify settings.
- Source Code Access: Open source projects usually come with the complete source code, meaning developers can see exactly how it works and make any modifications they choose in order to better fit their needs. This also allows them to share the project with others and use it as a basis for other projects.
What Types of Users Use Open Source Note-Taking Apps?
- Students: Students use open source note-taking apps to take notes in class, jot down ideas for projects and papers, or create study guides.
- Professionals: Professionals use open source note-taking apps to keep track of their work by organizing tasks, tracking project progress, storing important contacts and documents, and more.
- Academics: Academics use these tools to access robust research materials from various libraries and databases. They also use them for academic writing such as creating bibliographies, managing citations, and taking notes for presentations.
- Hobbyists: Hobbyists make full use of the features that open source apps offer to document their projects or pursue a personal interest. For example, they can store collected data such as images and resources related to a specific topic or problem they are exploring.
- Small Business Owners: Small business owners generally prefer open source solutions because they can customize components according to their needs without paying expensive software licenses. They may use it for task management, customer relationship management (CRM), billing & invoicing, budgeting & forecasting, etc.; depending on the nature of their business operations.
- Journalists/Bloggers: Journalists & bloggers often need a platform where they can quickly jot down ideas; store quotes from sources; record audio clips; take pictures; link related articles; sort by category, tag, date, and etc.; share with colleagues quickly in order to do online collaboration, etc. With its great array of options like these many have found that an open source app is perfectly suited for this purpose.
How Much Do Open Source Note-Taking Apps Cost?
Open source note-taking apps are, by definition, free to use and do not require any upfront cost. Open source software is typically free because it is developed collaboratively by users or developers who contribute their time and efforts to make the app available to everyone without charging any fees. This allows the application to be distributed freely and unrestrictedly, so that anyone can take advantage of its features without having to pay anything. With open source projects, all of the code behind the app is also available for public inspection, making it easier for experts in the field to suggest improvements or fixes as needed. Additionally, you may find some open source note-taking applications that offer additional features like syncing with smartphones and tablets or integration with other programs at no extra cost. All in all, open source note-taking apps provide an excellent option for people looking for a convenient way to store their notes without spending a dime.
What Software Do Open Source Note-Taking Apps Integrate With?
Open source note-taking apps can integrate with a variety of different types of software. Some examples include applications related to productivity, such as calendars and task management tools, which can help users keep track of their notes and activities. Additionally, open source note-taking apps can often be connected to cloud storage solutions so that users can synchronize their data across multiple devices. They also have the potential to access specialized databases or services from other organizations, which adds an extra layer of value for individuals and businesses looking for more features than what is available within the app's core functionality. Finally, many open source note-taking apps have found success when combined with artificial intelligence solutions like natural language processing that allow them to better analyze notes in order to surface any insights or patterns from their content.
Open Source Note-Taking Apps Trends
- Increasing Popularity: Open source note-taking apps are becoming increasingly popular due to their flexibility, affordability and ability to easily sync with other devices.
- Enhanced Functionality: Most open source note-taking apps now offer more advanced features such as text formatting, tagging and sharing options that allow users to better organize their notes.
- Cloud Support: Many of these apps now support cloud storage, allowing users to store their notes remotely and access them from any device.
- Cross-Platform Availability: Most open source note-taking apps are available on multiple platforms, including desktop, mobile and web versions. This makes it easier for users to switch devices without losing their notes.
- Improved Security Features: Developers of open source note-taking apps are now focusing on security, implementing encryption technologies and two-factor authentication in order to protect user data.
- Third-Party Integration: Open source note-taking apps also allow users to connect with third-party services such as Evernote or Dropbox, providing further functionality and convenience.
- Growing Market: With more and more people looking for affordable and reliable note-taking apps, the market for open source solutions is growing rapidly.
How Users Can Get Started With Open Source Note-Taking Apps
Using open source note-taking apps is a great way to keep track of notes, ideas, and tasks in one place. Getting started with open source note-taking apps is relatively simple but will vary depending on the platform you’re using.
First things first, you’ll need to download the app you want to use. Many of these apps are available on popular mobile software platforms like Android and Apple iOS (iPhone). Simply search for the app in your device store (like Google Play or iTunes) and follow the instructions given to complete installation.
Once installed, the app will usually prompt you through some basic steps such as creating an account and setting up any other necessary settings or preferences. Most of these apps offer user support so if something isn't working properly they can help guide you through setup process. From there, it’s all about exploring how best to utilize the features that come with each different app.
If you're a desktop user who plans on using web browser access for their note-taking needs, then simply look for a suitable application online by searching for terms like “open source note taking applications” or “free online note taking services” in your favorite search engine. There are many great options out there; so take your time finding one that works best for your needs and preferences. Once chosen, simply follow the website's instructions and create an account based on those guidelines.
Open source note-taking applications have become increasingly popular over recent years so don't be afraid if they feel overwhelming at first. They come packed with features that make organizing thoughts easier than ever before. Dive in headfirst and explore what works best for you, especially since most of them are free to use. Personalize these apps to your own preferences, and get started on taking notes like a pro.
