HelixNotes — Local Markdown Notes
helixnotes.com
A local markdown note-taking app. Your notes stay on your machine. No cloud, no lock-in.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/43147928

I built a note-taking app because the one I wanted didn’t exist. Clean UI, local .md files, no cloud, no account.

Built with Rust + Tauri 2.0 + SvelteKit. Full-text search powered by Tantivy. Graph view, AI writing tools (bring your own key), Obsidian import, version history.

Available for Linux (AppImage, APT, AUR), Windows, and macOS. Source: https://codeberg.org/ArkHost/HelixNotes

  • vort3@lemmy.ml
    1·
    2 days ago

    Do I get it right that this is like Obsidian, but free and open source?

    How does it compare to Obsidian? Does it have note linking using square brackets?

    Not to be rude or anything like that, where I’m going is not the “we already have obsidian, why you made this” but “currently obsidian is one of the few non-FOSS things I use in Linux, would be happy to replace obsidian with this if it’s a good substitute”.

    I don’t use obsidian plugins, so I understand that HelixNotes doesn’t have this whole plugin ecosystem and can’t replace obsidian for people that rely on plugins, but for me it’s fine.

    Is android app coming?

    • ArkHost@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      2 days ago

      Yes, local-first markdown like Obsidian, but fully open source (AGPL-3.0).

      Note linking with square brackets - yes, supported. Graph view too so you can see connections between notes.

      If you don’t rely on Obsidian plugins, you’ll feel right at home.

      Android is on the roadmap, but the desktop experience comes first. Still early days.

      • vort3@lemmy.ml
        0·
        2 days ago

        Thanks, gotta try this!

        Well, there’s Markor on android, so even without a dedicated android app, I can use Helix Notes + syncthing + Markor on the phone and ditch obsidian if it’s good.

        • ArkHost@lemmy.worldOP
          0·
          2 days ago

          That’s exactly the way I do it. However, the mobile app is something that will be made in the near future.

  • mmmac@lemmy.zip
    0·
    1 day ago

    Just went to download this, but there isn’t a build for apple silicon??

    Do Intel macs even exist anymore??? Lol

    • ArkHost@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      1 day ago

      The current DMG is an Intel build but runs fine on Apple Silicon through Rosetta. Native ARM build is on the list.

    • ArkHost@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      2 days ago

      Local-first means your data lives on your device as the source of truth, not on someone else’s server. How you choose to sync it - if at all, is up to you. That’s the point.

      • Masterkraft0r@discuss.tchncs.de
        1·
        1 day ago

        nope… that’s just local.

        in that regard every text editor or any software that just CRUDs files locally would be local-first and the term would be meaningless

        local-first means that it does not need internet-access to work and use the app and synchronization comes later, when there’s time and internet access. please read up on this.

        https://www.inkandswitch.com/essay/local-first/

        these are the guys who coined the term

        edit: i originally wrote “local-first means that it does need internet-access to work and use the app…”, which is bullshit and also doesn’t make sense in the context. i added the “not” so it is clear.