zk
A command-line tool for maintaining a plain-text Markdown Zettelkasten or personal wiki.
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About zk
zk is a command-line note-taking assistant for people who keep notes as plain text files. It helps you create notes and maintain a Zettelkasten or personal wiki in a folder of Markdown files, so the notes stay readable in any editor.
It is written in Go and developed in the open on GitHub, with a changelog and documentation in the repository. It suits people who already live in the terminal and a text editor and want structure around a notes folder rather than a separate app.
Strengths
- Notes stay as plain Markdown files
- Works with any text editor
- Built for Zettelkasten and personal wiki workflows
Limitations
- Command-line only, no graphical interface
- Assumes comfort with the terminal
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree to download and use from GitHub.
- License
- Proprietary
- Developer
- The zk contributors
- Platforms
- Command line
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Terminal users keeping a Markdown Zettelkasten
- Categories
- Note-taking, CLI tools
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to zk
Compare allSoftware that can replace zk for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
nb
A command-line and local web tool for plain text notes, bookmarks and a Git-backed knowledge base.
nb is a free, AGPL-3.0 command-line tool for plain-text notes and bookmarks with Git-backed sync, encryption and a local web interface.
Denote
An Emacs note-taking package that organises plain-text notes through a predictable, descriptive file naming scheme.
Denote is a free Emacs package that organizes plain-text notes by a descriptive file naming scheme, requiring Emacs instead of a standalone CLI.
Org-roam
An Emacs package for linked, plain-text personal knowledge management built on Org mode files.
Org-roam is a free Emacs package for a linked plain-text knowledge base with backlinks and graph view, using Org mode files rather than Markdown.
VimWiki
A Vim plugin that turns linked plain-text files into a personal wiki with its own syntax.
VimWiki is a free Vim plugin that turns linked plain-text files into a personal wiki with its own syntax, so it requires Vim.
Neorg
A Neovim plugin and file format for notes, tasks and organising your life inside the editor.
Neorg is a free Neovim plugin for notes and tasks in plain-text files, using its own format rather than Markdown.
Foam
A personal knowledge management system built on Visual Studio Code and plain Markdown files.
Foam is a free, open-source Markdown knowledge base inside Visual Studio Code with wikilinks, backlinks and graph view, replacing the terminal with an editor.
The Archive
A plain-text Zettelkasten note-taking app for macOS that stores notes as Markdown files.
The Archive is a paid macOS app for a plain-text Markdown Zettelkasten, offering a graphical interface instead of command-line use.
Obsidian
A notes app that works on a folder of plain Markdown files on your own disk, with links between them.
Obsidian is a free graphical app on all major platforms that works on a folder of Markdown files with links, backlinks and plugins.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
Emanote
A tool that turns a folder of Markdown notes into a linked, browsable website.
jrnl
A command-line journal that stores entries in plain text files, with optional AES encryption.
Org mode
A GNU Emacs major mode for notes, outlines, to-do lists and documents kept in plain text.
Markor
An open-source Android text editor for Markdown notes, todo.txt lists and plain text files.
