Patrizio Bekerle

QOwnNotes is the open source (GPL) plain-text file markdown note taking application for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Windows by Patrizio Bekerle (pbek on GitHub and IRC), that (optionally) works together with the notes application of ownCloud or Nextcloud.

• You own your own notes! All notes are stored as plain-text files on your desktop computer.
• Sync them over devices (desktop & mobile) with your ownCloud or Nextcloud sync client.
• Use ownCloud Notes to edit your notes in the web.

You are able to write down your thoughts with QOwnNotes and edit or search for them later from your mobile device (like with CloudNotes) or the ownCloud / Nextcloud web-services.

The notes are stored as plain text files and you can sync them with your ownCloud or Nextcloud sync client. Of course other software, like Dropbox, Syncthing, Seafile or BitTorrent Sync can be used too.

I like the concept of having notes accessible in plain text files, like it is done in the Nextcloud notes app, to gain a maximum of freedom, but I was not able to find a decent desktop note taking tool or a text editor, that handles them well in conjunction with ownCloud or Nextcloud.

Out of this need QOwnNotes was born.

Please be so kind to contact me and tell me how you like QOwnNotes or write me your suggestions as GitHub issue.

You can also contribute code by sending me pull requests on GitHub.

Visit the QOwnNotes installation page for all available Linux, macOS and Windows releases!

There are many Linux software repositories, amongst them repositories for Ubuntu Linux, Arch Linux, Debian Linux, Gentoo Linux, openSUSE Linux and Fedora Linux.

To manage your todo lists you need ownCloud tasks or Tasks++ as backend, with which you also can manage your todo lists in the web and on your mobile devices.

It is also possible to use an other CalDAV server to sync your tasks to.

To get more features with ownCloud for your notes, like versioning and access to your trashed notes, you might also want to install QOwnNotesAPI on your ownCloud or Nextcloud server.

To access your ownCloud notes from your mobile device you may want to get one of these apps:

• Nextcloud Notes for Android (3rd party)
• CloudNotes for iOS (3rd party)

On Android you could also use any sync-tool like Synchronize Ultimate or FolderSync to sync your note files and use software like neutriNotes to edit your notes.

On iOS I heard Notebooks works well (syncing notes via WebDAV).

Screenshot

Features

• the notes folder can be freely chosen (multiple note folders can be used)
• you can use your existing text or markdown files, no need for an import most of the times
• sub-string searching of notes is possible and search results are highlighted in the notes
• application can be operated with customizable keyboard shortcuts
• scripting support and an online script repository where you can install scripts inside the application
• QOwnNotes Web Companion browser extension to a add notes from the selected text and other features
  • visit the QOwnNotes Chrome Web Store or the QOwnNotes Firefox Addon page
• external changes of note files are watched (notes or note list are reloaded)
• older versions of your notes can be restored from your ownCloud / Nextcloud server
• trashed notes can be restored from your ownCloud / Nextcloud server
• differences between current note and externally changed note are showed in a dialog
• 
  markdown highlighting of notes and a markdown preview mode
• spellchecking support
• notes are getting their name from the first line of the note text (just like in the ownCloud notes web-application) and the note text files are automatically renamed, if the the first line changes
• compatible with the notes web-application of ownCloud and mobile ownCloud notes applications
• compatible with ownCloud's selective sync feature by supporting an unlimited amount of note folders with the ability to choose the respective folder on your server
• manage your ownCloud todo lists (ownCloud tasks or Tasks Plus / Calendar Plus) or use an other CalDAV server to sync your tasks to
• encryption of notes (AES-256 is built in or you can use custom encryption methods like Keybase.io (encryption-keybase.qml) or PGP (encryption-pgp.qml))
• dark mode theme support
• theming support for the markdown syntax highlighting
• all panels can be placed wherever you want, they can even float or stack (fully dockable)
• support for freedesktop theme icons, you can use QOwnNotes with your native desktop icons and with your favorite dark desktop theme
• support for hierarchical note tagging and note subfolders
• support for sharing notes on your ownCloud / Nextcloud server
• portable mode for carrying QOwnNotes around on USB sticks
• Vim mode
• distraction free mode, full-screen mode, typewriter mode
• Evernote import
• QOwnNotes is available in many different languages like English, German, French, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Hungarian, Dutch and Spanish
• Your help is very much appreciated to improve these translations or to translate QOwnNotes in more languages
• Join the fun at Crowdin to help with the translations

Disclaimer

This SOFTWARE PRODUCT is provided by THE PROVIDER "as is" and "with all faults." THE PROVIDER makes no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the safety, suitability, lack of viruses, inaccuracies, typographical errors, or other harmful components of this SOFTWARE PRODUCT.

There are inherent dangers in the use of any software, and you are solely responsible for determining whether this SOFTWARE PRODUCT is compatible with your equipment and other software installed on your equipment. You are also solely responsible for the protection of your equipment and backup of your data, and THE PROVIDER will not be liable for any damages you may suffer in connection with using, modifying, or distributing this SOFTWARE PRODUCT.

If you are looking for old comments, you will find them here: QOwnNotes project page on www.bekerle.com

A big thank you to JetBrains for a free license to their development products!