ZenNotes: A Lightweight and Minimalist Open-Source Note-Taking App

Note-taking apps nowadays often end up causing more hassle than help. Open a popular note-taking app, and you are welcomed by dozens of menus, unprompted AI integrations, and proprietary databases that make it difficult to migrate notes to other tools. Yet the basic need remains simple: write quickly, keep things organized, and ensure full ownership of your data. ZenNotes addresses this exact issue: an open-source note-taking app that stores all your writing as standard Markdown files on your local machine, without hidden databases or vendor lock-in.

This article reviews the core features of ZenNotes, its pros and cons compared to competitors like Obsidian and Notion, along with a complete installation guide for Windows, macOS, Linux, Terminal UI (TUI) mode, and mobile devices.

1. What Is ZenNotes

ZenNotes is a Markdown-based note-taking application centered around the slogan "a home for your thoughts". Its primary philosophy is local-first: every note is saved as a plain .md file on local storage rather than inside a proprietary database that locks in user data. Because the format is plain text, synchronization across devices can be handled via Git, iCloud, or Dropbox without relying on a single closed platform.

The project is open source under the MIT license, with source code publicly available in the ZenNotes GitHub repository. On the technical side, it is built with a combination of TypeScript/React and the CodeMirror 6 editor for the Electron-based desktop interface, complemented by server components written in Go.

Regarding target audience, ZenNotes is best suited for Vim users, researchers, technical writers, developers, and anyone who feels more comfortable writing in plain text format rather than using heavy WYSIWYG editors. The availability of a TUI mode also opens ZenNotes up to power users who spend more time in the terminal than in desktop applications.

2. Key Features of ZenNotes

2.1 Vim-Native Editor

Unlike other applications that merely add a few Vim-style keybindings, ZenNotes embeds genuine Vim directly into its editor. Its support includes motions, operators, registers, marks, and macros in full. This Vim mode can be disabled for users who are not accustomed to it. For writing while reviewing references, split pane mode is available alongside three display modes: Edit, Split (side-by-side), and Preview.

2.2 Enriched Markdown

ZenNotes supports math rendering via KaTeX, as well as diagrams from Mermaid, TikZ, JSXGraph, and function-plot, all written directly within standard Markdown code blocks without requiring extra plugins. For note organization, ZenNotes offers search capabilities spanning the entire vault (note collection), tags, wikilinks, backlinks, and integrated task management.

2.3 Synchronization and Self-Hosting

For cross-device synchronization needs, an optional service called ZenNotes Cloud is available, offering automatic backups, vault recovery, and web publishing for notes. Crucially, local vaults and iCloud synchronization continue to work normally without requiring a Cloud plan subscription, ensuring a free and self-reliant option remains available.

For users who want full control over their data, ZenNotes also supports self-hosting using the official Docker image adibhanna/zennotes, or building directly from source code using the following command, which automatically sets up authentication tokens.

make up

Note: detailed costs and limitations for ZenNotes Cloud are not yet clearly stated in public documentation, so it is best to check the official website directly before subscribing.

2.4 Mobile Applications

ZenNotes is available for iOS (iOS 17 or higher) and Android (Android 6 or higher) through the App Store and Google Play. This mobile version brings native KaTeX rendering, task management with calendar and Kanban views, and full-text search across all notes.

2.5 Terminal Mode for Power Users

For developers and sysadmins who spend most of their time in the terminal, ZenNotes provides a Terminal UI (TUI) via the zn command. This mode features a fully integrated Vim editor, split panes, zen mode for maximum focus, Kanban boards and calendars generated automatically from Markdown checkboxes, fast search using Ctrl+P, and a command palette accessible via the spacebar. Its CLI is scriptable and includes a built-in MCP server for integration with AI assistants or other shell workflows. TUI binaries are static without runtime dependencies, allowing them to run immediately after extraction, and are available for macOS, Linux, and Windows.

3. ZenNotes Review

3.1 Advantages of ZenNotes

Open source and transparent. The entire codebase is available on GitHub under the MIT license, making it free to audit and modify.
Local-first, free from vendor lock-in. Notes are stored as plain .md files, making them easy to migrate to other tools at any time.
Simultaneous TUI and GUI support. A rare combination in note-taking apps, suitable for both terminal and desktop workflows.
Fully Vim-native. Not just surface-level shortcuts, making it comfortable for power users already accustomed to Vim.
Flexible sync options. Sync via iCloud, Dropbox, Git, or Docker self-hosting without requiring a paid cloud service.

3.2 Disadvantages of ZenNotes

Vim learning curve. Users accustomed to WYSIWYG editors like Notion or Evernote will need adaptation time because ZenNotes philosophy is closer to Vim than conventional rich text editors.
ZenNotes Cloud details are not fully transparent. Pricing schemes and limits for the optional Cloud service are not detailed in official documentation, requiring direct verification before subscribing.
Ecosystem is still growing. Compared to Obsidian, which boasts thousands of community plugins, the extension ecosystem of ZenNotes is relatively young.

3.3 ZenNotes vs Obsidian vs Notion

Philosophically, these three take different approaches. ZenNotes focuses on a combination of open source design, plain Markdown file format, and a Vim-native experience plus TUI. Obsidian also stores notes as local Markdown files and features a much larger plugin ecosystem, but its core app is closed source. Notion lies on the opposite spectrum: fully cloud-based with a highly visual block-style editor, but data is stored on Notion servers and the app itself is closed source. For users prioritizing data ownership and freedom from vendor lock-in, ZenNotes and Obsidian clearly hold an advantage over Notion.

4. ZenNotes Installation

4.1 Installation on Windows

Desktop installation on Windows is carried out via the official installer from GitHub Releases. Follow these steps.

Open the ZenNotes GitHub Releases page and download the latest ZenNotes-<version>-win-x64.exe file.
Run the .exe file and follow the setup wizard to completion.
Launch ZenNotes from the Start Menu, then set the location of your vault (the folder where notes are stored) upon first startup.

4.2 Installation on macOS

On macOS, you can choose between Homebrew or manual download depending on preference.

Install via Homebrew by running the following command in terminal.
```
brew install --cask zennotes/tap/zennotes
```
Alternatively, manually download the .dmg file for Apple Silicon or Intel from GitHub Releases, then drag the application into the Applications folder.
Launch ZenNotes from Launchpad and complete the initial vault configuration.

4.3 Installation on Linux

Linux offers several installation paths depending on your distribution.

Arch Linux users can use the AUR.
```
yay -S zennotes-bin
```
Debian/Ubuntu users can download the .deb package from GitHub Releases and run the following command.
```
sudo apt install ./ZenNotes-<version>-linux-amd64.deb
```
For other distributions, download the .AppImage file (requires FUSE 2 installed), grant execute permission with the command below, and run it directly.
```
chmod +x ZenNotes-*.AppImage
```
Nix/NixOS users can follow the guide in packaging/nix/README.md inside the official repository.

4.4 TUI Mode in Terminal

Terminal UI mode is suitable for developers or sysadmins who want to take notes without leaving the terminal. There are two installation methods.

If you already have Go 1.26 or higher installed, run the following command.
```
go install github.com/ZenNotes/tui/cmd/zn@latest
```
Alternatively, download the ready-to-use binary matching your operating system from GitHub Releases, extract it, and run it directly without additional installation.
Create a new vault, or add an existing vault.
```
zn init ~/Notes
zn vault add ~/your-notes
```
Run the following command to launch the terminal interface and start writing.
```
zn tui
```

4.5 Access on Android and iOS

For taking notes on the go, ZenNotes is available on both major mobile platforms.

iOS users (iOS 17 or higher) can download from the App Store.
Android users (Android 6 or higher) can download from Google Play.
Once installed, connect the app with iCloud, a self-hosted service, or ZenNotes Cloud to keep your notes synchronized with the desktop version.

5. Conclusion

ZenNotes is worth considering for anyone tired of bloated note-taking apps that lock users into a single platform. Its combination of plain Markdown format, MIT open-source license, Vim-native support, and availability across desktop, mobile, and terminal environments makes it a solid choice for developers, technical writers, and Vim users.

If your daily work is largely spent in the terminal or you are already comfortable with Vim, ZenNotes is well worth trying as a replacement for your current note-taking app. For those who still prefer WYSIWYG editors like Notion, testing the desktop version first before making a complete switch is recommended. Full details and official downloads can be found on the ZenNotes website, while source code and latest releases are available in the GitHub repository.