VNote
An open-source desktop Markdown note-taking app written in native C++ that keeps notes as local files.
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About VNote
VNote is a note-taking application built in native C++ with Qt. It focuses on Markdown, storing notes as local files rather than in a proprietary database, and provides a dedicated editing experience for writing and organising them.
The project is actively developed on GitHub with a large following and a mirror on Gitee, plus documentation in English and Simplified Chinese. It suits people who want a native, offline Markdown editor for managing a collection of notes.
Strengths
- Native C++ application rather than a web wrapper
- Notes kept as local Markdown files
- Active development with a large user base
Limitations
- No built-in sync service
- Documentation is partly focused on Chinese-speaking users
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source under the LGPL.
- License
- LGPL-3.0
- Developer
- The VNote contributors
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Desktop users who want a native, offline Markdown notebook
- Categories
- Code editors, Note-taking
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to VNote
Compare allSoftware that can replace VNote for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
Obsidian
A notes app that works on a folder of plain Markdown files on your own disk, with links between them.
Obsidian works on a folder of local Markdown files with linking, graph view and plugins, adds mobile apps, and is free but not open source.
Joplin
An open source note and to-do app that syncs end-to-end encrypted through storage you already have.
Joplin is a free, open-source note app with end-to-end encrypted sync and mobile apps, but stores attachments in its own layout rather than loose files.
Zettlr
Write and organize Markdown documents for publication.
Zettlr is a free, GPL-3.0 Markdown app for Windows, macOS and Linux with document navigation and export workflows for publication.
QOwnNotes
A plain-text Markdown notepad and todo manager that syncs through Nextcloud or ownCloud, or any file sync you already use.
QOwnNotes is a free, open-source Qt Markdown notepad that keeps plain files and syncs through Nextcloud, ownCloud or any file sync tool.
MindForger
Organize Markdown notes in a personal knowledge workspace.
MindForger is a free, GPL-2.0 Markdown knowledge workspace for Windows, macOS and Linux that emphasizes connections between related notes.
Logseq
An outliner that stores notes as plain Markdown files, built around a daily journal and linked blocks.
Logseq stores notes as Markdown files in a folder but organizes them as a block-based outliner with a daily journal and mobile apps.
MarkText
A Markdown editor that shows formatted text as you type, with no preview pane and no syntax symbols in the way.
MarkText is a free, MIT-licensed Markdown editor with in-place rendering, built on Electron and lacking a library or notebook structure.
Typora
A polished Markdown editor with live in-place rendering, sold as a one-off purchase rather than a subscription.
Typora is a paid, closed-source Markdown editor with polished live rendering, handling one document per window without a note database.
VNote as an alternative
Listings that name VNote as an alternative.
Daino Notes
A free, local-first desktop note-taking app with a fast block editor and Markdown support.
VNote is an LGPL-licensed native C++ desktop Markdown notebook that keeps notes as local files, but it has no built-in task board or sync service.
Notenik
A free, open-source Mac note-taking app that stores notes as plain-text Markdown files in folders.
VNote is a free, open-source native C++ Markdown notebook for Windows, macOS and Linux that keeps notes as local files, with no built-in sync.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
ghostwriter
Write Markdown in a distraction-free desktop editor.
CherryTree
A hierarchical notebook with rich text and syntax highlighting, storing everything in one file or a folder you control.
Zim
A desktop wiki that keeps linked notes as plain text files in a folder structure.
Foam
A personal knowledge management system built on Visual Studio Code and plain Markdown files.
