Offline-first • Open-friendly • No lock-in

Write freely.
Sync when ready.

stdnotes is a distraction-free note-taking app that works entirely offline — no account needed. Rich text, Markdown, and canvas editors in one place. Cloud sync optional, always under your control.

No sign-up required. Notes live in your browser until you choose to sync.

Most note apps get in your way.

You just want to write. But first: create an account, pick a plan, wait for sync, wonder where your data lives.

🔐

Forced accounts

Every app demands sign-up before you write a single word. Your first thought shouldn't be an email and password.

📡

Always-online dependency

Airplane mode, spotty Wi-Fi, corporate proxy — the moment the network drops, your productivity stops.

🔒

Vendor lock-in

Proprietary formats that trap your notes. Export tools that produce garbled output. Sudden pricing changes you can't escape.

🎪

Feature bloat

Collaboration tools you don't need, AI you didn't ask for, dashboards that clutter instead of clarify. You just want to write.

Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.

Carefully chosen features that cover every note-taking scenario — from quick thoughts to structured knowledge bases.

Rich Text

A full-featured prose editor

Powered by TipTap. Write naturally with keyboard shortcuts, or use the toolbar for formatting, tables, and media.

  • Bold, italic, headings, task lists
  • Tables with resizable columns
  • Syntax-highlighted code blocks
  • Inline image upload and resize (5 MB per file)
  • Text color and highlight controls
  • Markdown shortcuts while you type
Markdown

Pure Markdown, live preview

Powered by CodeMirror 6. Full GFM support with syntax highlighting and a live rendered preview.

  • Full GitHub Flavored Markdown
  • Edit / Preview split toggle
  • Strikethrough, tables, task lists
  • XSS-safe rendered output
  • JetBrains Mono editor font
Canvas

Draw, sketch, and diagram

Full Excalidraw canvas for visual thinkers. Diagrams, flowcharts, freehand sketches — export as PNG, SVG, or native file.

  • Freehand and shape drawing
  • Arrows, labels, and connections
  • Insert as image in rich-text notes
  • Export PNG, SVG, .excalidraw
Knowledge Graph

Wiki-links and a visual graph

Link notes together with [[Note Title]] syntax. Explore connections in an interactive force-directed graph.

  • Typeahead suggestions on [[
  • [[Title|alias]] for custom link text
  • One-click note creation from broken links
  • Backlinks panel on every note
  • Search + filter the graph view
Sharing

Public read-only links

Share any note as a read-only public link. Set custom vanity slugs, optional expiry dates, and toggle sharing any time.

  • One-click public link generation
  • Password protection
  • Custom vanity URLs (/s/your-slug)
  • Optional link expiry (24h, 7d, 30d, or never)
  • Canvas notes share in view-only mode
Version History

Every note has a memory

Automatic snapshots capture important edits. Browse, preview, and restore up to 20 previous versions per note.

  • Auto-captures significant changes
  • View diff of any previous version
  • One-click restore
  • Storage-efficient snapshot model
Organization

Folders, pins, and search

Color-coded folders with drag-and-drop. Pin important notes to the top. Full-text search across everything — instantly.

  • 18-color folder palette
  • Drag notes between folders
  • Pin notes to top of list
  • Multi-select with bulk move and delete
  • Trash with one-click restore
  • Sort by updated, created, or title
  • Global full-text search
Export

Your data, always portable

Export individual notes or your entire workspace. Open formats only — Markdown and HTML — so you're never locked in.

  • Single note: .md, .html, .txt, .png, .svg, .excalidraw
  • Full workspace export as .zip
  • Async background processing
  • Download link ready in minutes
Focus Mode

Just you and the words

Full-screen distraction-free mode hides everything except your note. Toggle with a shortcut, write without interruption.

  • Hides sidebar, header, and meta strip
  • Command palette always available (Ctrl+K)
  • Keyboard shortcut cheat sheet in-app

Three editors, one workspace.

Switch between note types per note, not per app. Mix rich text for prose, Markdown for drafts, and canvas for diagrams — all in one place.

# Meeting Notes — Q2 Planning
 
## Attendees
- Alice (PM), Bob (Eng), Carol (Design)
 
## Agenda
1. Review **Q1 outcomes** and retro feedback
2. Prioritize features for *June milestone*
3. Discuss `/export` API design
 
## Action Items
- [x] Share retro notes with team
- [ ] Draft API spec by **Friday**
- [ ] Book design review session
 

Architecture Decision Record

Last edited 3 minutes ago • Folder: Engineering

We evaluated three approaches for the offline storage layer. After prototyping all three, we settled on IndexedDB with a lightweight wrapper.

The key constraint: content must survive browser refreshes, support compression, and work without any server round-trip.

Decision: Use IndexedDB via idb library + lz-string compression for all note content. Provides ~65% size reduction on typical rich-text notes.

Write migration guide for existing users
Add automated storage quota monitoring
Test with 10,000 note corpus
Frontend Next.js 15 HTTP/WS Backend Fastify 5 Admin SDK Firestore Cloud DB IndexedDB offline store Firebase Auth

Canvas notes support freehand drawing, shapes, arrows, and text labels. Export as PNG, SVG, or .excalidraw.

Works everywhere.
Syncs when you want.

Start writing immediately. No account, no setup, no waiting. Your notes live in your browser until you decide to sync.

Offline mode — working locally
// Markdown • Personal
Ideas for the weekend project
Everything typed here is saved instantly to IndexedDB in your browser. Compressed automatically. No server, no account, no latency. Sign in later to sync — your notes will still be here.
Synced • All notes up to date

Zero friction start

Open the app and write. No email, no password, no onboarding wizard. Your first note is one keystroke away.

IndexedDB — browser-native storage

Notes are stored in your browser's IndexedDB, compressed with lz-string for ~65% smaller footprint. Works on any device, any network.

Cloud sync on your terms

Sign in with Google to unlock cloud sync. Notes stream in real time across your devices via WebSocket connections to Firestore.

Local note import

Offline notes are never deleted. After signing in, use the Import Local Notes command to move them into your cloud workspace at any time.

Structure without ceremony.

Simple, fast organization tools that stay out of your way — and a knowledge graph when you need to see the big picture.

📁

Color-coded folders

Drag notes into folders. Choose from an 18-color palette. Reorder folders by drag-and-drop. Right-click for quick actions.

📌

Pinned notes

Pin your most-used notes to the top of any folder. They stay there regardless of sort order.

🔍

Instant search

Search note titles and content instantly. Sort results by last updated, created, or alphabetical.

🕸️

Knowledge graph

Type [[Note Title]] to link notes. View all connections in an interactive force-directed graph at /graph.

⌨️

Keyboard-first

Ctrl+N new rich text note, Ctrl+K command palette, Ctrl+B toggle sidebar. Full shortcut cheat sheet in-app.

🌙

Dark mode

Flat, dark-by-default design. System preference detection or manual toggle. No rounded corners — clean and minimal.

Free for everyone. No catches.

Every feature — offline notes, cloud sync, all three editors, wiki-links, version history, sharing — is free. No plans, no paywalls.

Boring tech. On purpose.

No experimental frameworks, no magic. Proven tools chosen for reliability, performance, and longevity.

Next.js 15 Frontend framework
React 19 UI layer
TypeScript Type safety
Fastify 5 Backend API
Firestore Cloud database
TipTap Rich text editor
CodeMirror 6 Markdown editor
Excalidraw Canvas editor
IndexedDB Offline storage
lz-string Content compression
Tailwind CSS Styling

Your notes. Your browser.
Your call.

No account needed. Open the app and start writing right now.

Start writing — it's free Read the technical deep-dive

Works in any modern browser • No install required • Open-format exports