fsnotes
Notes manager for macOS/iOS
A fast, open-source notes app for Mac and iPhone that stores everything as plain text files on your own device, with Markdown support, AES-256 encryption, and iCloud or Dropbox sync.
FSNotes is a notes manager for macOS and iOS, built around plain text and Markdown files. Notes are stored as regular files on your file system rather than in a proprietary database, which means you keep full ownership of your data and can open your notes with any text editor.
The macOS app is designed to stay fast even with large collections. The README mentions it handles 10,000 or more files without slowing down. Notes can be organized across multiple folders and tagged for easier searching. Keyboard shortcuts are a central part of the design, so most actions can be done without touching a mouse. The editor supports Markdown formatting, inline images, syntax highlighting for over 30 programming languages, cross-note links using double-bracket notation, and rendering of Mermaid diagrams and MathJax math notation.
Files sync through iCloud Drive or Dropbox, so the same notes are available on both Mac and iPhone or iPad. An external editor can also be used on the Mac side, and changes made there will show up in the app automatically. Encryption is available using AES-256 for notes that need to be kept private. Git-based versioning and backups are an optional feature for those who want a history of changes.
The iOS app shares the core features, syncing with iCloud Drive and keeping pinned notes in sync with the desktop version. It also supports TextBundle containers, encrypted notes and folders, Git integration, and the ability to create simple web pages from notes.
FSNotes is written in Swift 5 and is open source under the MIT license. The apps are available on the Mac App Store and iOS App Store.
Where it fits
- Take and organize thousands of Markdown notes as plain files you can open in any text editor.
- Sync your notes between Mac and iPhone automatically using iCloud Drive or Dropbox.
- Encrypt sensitive notes with AES-256 so they stay private even if someone accesses your files.
- Write notes with math formulas, code snippets with syntax highlighting, and Mermaid diagrams.