OpenNotas is an open-source, multi-platform note-taking application based on PWA, focusing on security and synchronization capabilities across devices.
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.
Congrats on the launch! 🎉
@hoaitx I've been following your work for a long time and admire your perseverance and creativity.
OpenNotas looks simple yet useful, meeting the need for quick and secure note-taking across platforms.
Supporting Markdown is a great choice for those who like minimalism but still want formatting. 👍
The comments on this launch are fishy. Producthunt is so easily botted and manipulated nowadays.
how does it compare to obsidian or logseq? I appreciate the open source. I'm currently using obsidian which imo is the best overall notes program currently but I'm always open to oss alternatives
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.
Looks extremely simple yet relevant. Any integrations in mind for the coming versions? Congrats on the lauch @hoaitx
how does this separate from other note taking apps like apple or samsung notes or notion or one note?
Congratulations on your launch Hoai!
I have been a long-time user of Bear and I really like its local-first approach and iCloud storage strategy. OpenNotas looks good, especially since it is an open-source project. I am curious about how OpenNotas ensures user data security?
i need to manage my folder, my note. finally i found this great app. thank you for making my life easier :)
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!
Wow, OpenNotas sounds like a game-changer! Finally, a note-taking app that not only prioritizes security but also ensures seamless syncing across all my devices. And being open-source? That's just the cherry on top! Can't wait to give it a spin and declutter my notes while knowing my data is safe and accessible whenever I need it :)) @hoaitx
