qownnotes

Run in portable mode

$ QOwnNotes --portable

$ QOwnNotes --dump-settings

$ QOwnNotes --session [test]

$ QOwnNotes --action [actionShow_Todo_List]

qownnotes [OPTIONS] [ARGUMENTS]

-h, --help
    Displays help information about the command-line options and exits.

-v, --version
    Displays the application's version information and exits.

--debug
    Starts the application in debug mode, providing more verbose output in the console for troubleshooting.

--portable
    Runs qownnotes in portable mode, causing it to store all settings and data files in the same directory as the executable, rather than system-wide locations.

--note <path>
    Opens the specified note file (e.g., /home/user/notes/MyNote.md) directly in the application's editor.

--folder <path>
    Changes the main note folder of the application to the specified path and opens it.

--show-on-startup
    Ensures that the main application window is shown immediately upon startup, even if the application is already running in the background or configured to hide initially.

--new-note
    Creates a new, empty note within the application. If the application is already running, it will open a new note tab.

--search <query>
    Performs a search for the specified <query> string across all notes upon application startup, highlighting matching notes.

--current-note-path
    Prints the absolute path of the currently active note to standard output and then exits. This is particularly useful for scripting purposes.

--select-note <path>
    Selects the specified note file in the note list sidebar of the application's user interface, without necessarily opening it in the editor.

qownnotes is a free, open-source, and cross-platform plain-text file note-taking application with Markdown support. It allows users to store notes as plain-text files, which can be synchronized with cloud services like Nextcloud or OwnCloud using WebDAV. This ensures full ownership and control over your data, making it accessible even outside of the application. The application provides a rich set of features including Markdown formatting, syntax highlighting, note search, linking between notes, and a customizable interface. It's designed to be a powerful yet simple tool for managing personal knowledge bases, to-do lists, and general notes, offering both a graphical desktop interface and a command-line interface for specific actions like opening notes or folders.

While qownnotes stores notes as plain-text Markdown files, its full feature set (e.g., tags, linking, versioning) relies on internal indexing and the application's UI. Direct manipulation of note files outside the application may not immediately reflect in its internal state, requiring a refresh or restart. Features like note encryption rely on the application itself and are not inherent to the plain-text files.
Command-line options are primarily for launching the application with specific contexts; full programmatic control via CLI for editing or extensive management is limited.

qownnotes is specifically designed for seamless integration with Nextcloud and OwnCloud instances. Users can configure the application to store their Markdown notes within a synchronized WebDAV folder, ensuring that their notes are always accessible across devices and are under their control, leveraging the privacy and security features of their self-hosted cloud.

The application fully embraces Markdown, allowing users to format their notes with standard syntax for headings, lists, links, code blocks, tables, and more. A key feature is the live preview, which renders the Markdown content in real-time alongside the editor, providing an immediate visual representation of the final formatted note.

qownnotes was first released in 2015 by Patrik K. and has since undergone continuous development, quickly becoming a popular open-source Markdown note-taking solution. Its development has focused on robust integration with Nextcloud/OwnCloud for secure, synchronized note storage, alongside a rich feature set for local note management. It gained traction for its emphasis on data ownership (plain-text files) and cross-platform compatibility (Linux, Windows, macOS), providing a powerful yet simple alternative to proprietary note-taking tools. The project maintains an active community, ensuring ongoing improvements and new features.

nextcloud(1), owncloudcmd(1), markdown(7), vim(1), emacs(1)