OpenNotas

OpenNotas

The best personal note-taking app, fast, secure, free

388 followers

OpenNotas is an open-source, multi-platform note-taking application based on PWA, focusing on security and synchronization capabilities across devices.
OpenNotas gallery image
OpenNotas gallery image
OpenNotas gallery image
OpenNotas gallery image
OpenNotas gallery image
Free
Launch Team / Built With
AssemblyAI
AssemblyAI
Build voice AI apps with a single API
Promoted

What do you think? …

Hoai Tong Xuan
Why create a note-taking app? My daily life is closely tied to note-taking. There's a lot of information that if not written down somewhere, I know there's a high chance I'll forget it in the future. The information that needs to be noted includes personal and work-related matters. Personal notes are diverse, they can be a new coffee recipe I found on YouTube, a cooking instruction, a shopping list for tomorrow, the day after tomorrow… Or sometimes it's just a short but important piece of information that I don't want to forget. In short, notes are for things we know we'll forget. And what about work? Notes are also indispensable. They can be instructions for operating a tool or a system, useful commands, or system descriptions in preparation for important meetings… But during meetings, I prefer to bring a notebook and pen to take notes quickly, draw better diagrams instead of using my phone or computer. Since I started writing, especially blogging, I have become more interested in note-taking apps for long articles. Ideas for articles can suddenly appear at any time, and if I don't quickly jot them down, they might be forgotten. I am particularly interested in simplicity, speed, good synchronization, and security, and it would be great if it also supports markdown. Markdown is a text format that I find extremely useful until now. It provides an excellent combination of text and formatting. Just write, and the formatting is done through the way you write. In short, just write without worrying too much about formatting the text. The most frequently used app before was Apple Notes. It is simple, focused on writing, does not support markdown, but compensates with excellent synchronization between devices in the "apple" ecosystem. The data is fully encrypted on iCloud, so it is very secure. Adding the feature of locking individual notes, some of which are very private, and only opening them when necessary, gives me peace of mind when using it. The only limitation of Notes is the lack of markdown support. A few months ago, my old and worn-out "bunny ear" phone started to go on strike… so I had to replace it with a new Android device. That's when I discovered another problem: Notes does not support cross-platform usage. The journey to find a note-taking app began. Honestly, I have researched and used many apps to find the most suitable one. But in return, the effort may not have reached full maturity.
Hoai Tong Xuan
You're welcome, @casper_brix! That can indeed be seen as a viable alternative, as OpenNotas is designed to be simple and quick to use.
Rishab Kokate
@hoaitx Congrats on the launch, seems like a pretty interesting product but does this product support apple pencil usage? cuz as a college student that seems like a pretty big deal breaker considering I take most of my notes on that.
Hoai Tong Xuan
@rishab_kokate Thank you for your feedback. Currently, OpenNotas does not support handwriting notes. However, please don't worry, I will consider and add this feature in the future.
Hoai Tong Xuan
@ena_gluhakovic I think it is the seamless and consistent usability. This means you won't be confused when using it across different platforms.
Alex Dulub
Hi Hoai Tong Xuan, You've highlighted such relatable challenges in note-taking! OpenNotas seems like a dream solution for those of us needing a secure and synchronized space for our thoughts. The markdown support definitely sounds like a game changer. Curious to know, how does OpenNotas handle data encryption and privacy? Keep up the amazing work on bridging the cross-platform gap in note-taking!
Hoai Tong Xuan
@alex_dulub thanks for your very honest comments. I hope OpenNotas will be helpful to many people who are facing problems like me. On security, I explained in a short article, hoping to answer that for you: https://docs.opennotas.io/advanc...
karanveer
how does this separate from other note taking apps like apple or samsung notes or notion or one note?
Masher Calster
@karanveer it dosent, the founder mentioned in the description that cross device compatibility is often an issue with big names like apple. And the ones that do support cross device are limited to N devices…
karanveer
@masher_calster until u pay for it, which is kinda same here no
Hoai Tong Xuan
@masher_calster @karanveer Not at all 🥺, OpenNotas is completely free for everyone.
karanveer
@hoaitx what's the catch, how are u gonna sustain it ?
German Syroezhkin
@hoaitx OpenNotas sounds like a great app! How do you handle synchronization between different platforms to ensure a smooth experience for users?
Hoai Tong Xuan
Hello @laocool, thank you for the interesting question. I built OpenNotas on a web platform, so it can be used across multiple platforms. Additionally, synchronization is an important feature of the application. I spent a lot of time researching it because it involves both online and offline users. Essentially, I used a combination of local databases and server data to help users work both offline and online. For more details, you can check out a short article I wrote here: https://docs.opennotas.io/advanc...
Ajay Yadav
to be honest apart from being a open source app, I don't think I'm gonna use it, as I didn't find any key difference from other apps.
Hoai Tong Xuan
@ajay_kumar_yadav4 Thank you for your feedback. It's great to hear that OpenNotas has been able to provide you with a reliable note-taking solution and avoid many of the troubles you encountered with other alternatives. I believe that each application addresses some of the users' needs, and once you find the right fit for your requirements, it becomes irreplaceable. I'm glad that OpenNotas meets your needs and provides a feasible solution for you.
Jamie Martin
@ajay_kumar_yadav4 @hoaitx What's the deal with these comments? Have you even bothered to read what the person you're responding to actually said?
Ajay Yadav
@livejamie might be I'm wrong so requesting you to just give me a brief about why it's different for other apps apart from being open source. ( no hard feelings maybe I'm not able to see the vision of the maker : )
Hoai Tong Xuan
@livejamie @ajay_kumar_yadav4 I apologize, it seems I was a bit hasty with my response, which led to a misleading answer. What I meant to say is that each application is created to address a specific need, making it difficult to compare which one is better as it largely depends on individual needs. Therefore, I just wanted to briefly state that OpenNotas focuses on simplicity and security. Best regards!
Ajay Yadav
@hoaitx Now, I understand your vision (simplicity and security), also no need of apologize from my side, wish you the very best for your product.
Dandelion Galleries
@hoaitx Congratulations on the launch of your new product! As a passionate student, I can certainly empathize with the struggle of finding an effective note-taking solution. Having something that is easy-to-use, accessible, and doesn't require a lot of extra purchases is so valuable. I'm sure your new offering will make a meaningful difference for students around the world, helping them keep their thoughts organized, stay productive, keep on track and address important security concerns. It's wonderful to see someone so dedicated to supporting the academic journey. One feature I was curious about - do you incorporate voice or screen recording capabilities? Being able to capture lectures or ideas on the fly could be a game-changer for a lot of students. Again, thank you for your hard work and commitment to this project. I look forward to seeing how it evolves and the positive impact it has.
Hoai Tong Xuan
@dandelion_galleries is happy to hear your comments, surely there will be more and more great utility apps coming out, it depends greatly on you. I will continue to research and bring user support features as you are referring to. Wait, or you can even contribute to this work.
Dandelion Galleries
@hoaitx Wow, that sounds really good. Can't wait!!
CY
@hoaitx Congrats on the launch! It is nice to have a open-source note app. Does it support image or video? and any play to include a transcribing feature?
Hoai Tong Xuan
@lightfield You're welcome! Currently, OpenNotas only supports text and Markdown formatting. However, you can still use images and videos in Markdown format. I am continuously working to make OpenNotas even more user-friendly.
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