# QOwnNotes: Plain-Text Markdown Notepad with Nextcloud and ownCloud Sync > QOwnNotes is a C++ desktop notepad for GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows that stores notes as plain Markdown files and integrates with Nextcloud and ownCloud for sync, versioning, and trash. It avoids the Electron runtime and focuses on low resource consumption, scripting, and a built-in MCP server for AI agent access. **pbek/QOwnNotes** — QOwnNotes is a plain-text file notepad and todo-list manager with Markdown support and Nextcloud / ownCloud integration. - Repository: https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes - Website: https://www.qownnotes.org/ - Stars: 5,889 · Forks: 500 - Language: C++ - License: GPL-2.0 - Published: 2026-09-09 · Updated: 2026-09-09 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/pbek-qownnotes ## What QOwnNotes Is and Who It Targets QOwnNotes is a free, open-source desktop notepad application written in C++ that runs on GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its defining characteristic is that it stores every note as a plain Markdown text file on disk. There is no proprietary database, no cloud lock-in, and no binary format. The application is designed for users who want to write in Markdown and have those files remain accessible from any text editor, mobile device, or web interface. The primary integration target is Nextcloud and ownCloud. Notes sync through the file sync functionality of those platforms, which means note files appear in the file system of any device connected to the same Nextcloud or ownCloud account. This is separate from the optional QOwnNotesAPI app, which adds server-side note versioning and trash recovery. The README identifies the intended user as someone who likes the concept of notes accessible in plain text files, as done in the Nextcloud and ownCloud notes web applications. It explicitly names this as "a maximum of freedom" compared to proprietary formats. ## The C++ Architecture and Non-Electron Design Decision QOwnNotes is written in C++ and uses the Qt framework. The README lists this as a design feature: low CPU and memory consumption compared to an Electron-based application. Most modern desktop note-taking applications use Electron, which runs a full Chromium instance per window. QOwnNotes avoids that overhead by compiling directly to a native binary. The practical implication is that QOwnNotes runs on hardware that Electron applications make sluggish. It also runs on Wayland with support for global keyboard shortcuts, which many Electron applications handle poorly. The application supports multiple note folders, external note file monitoring, and automatic reload when a note file changes on disk. When a file changes externally, a dialog shows a diff between the current and updated version before merging. The build system uses CMake and the justfile in the repository automates common developer tasks. Nix builds are supported: ```bash nix build '.?submodules=1#qownnotes-qt6' ``` The project ships to Snap, and nix build with QLITEHTML support is also available via a separate target. Translations are managed through Crowdin and can be downloaded with the `just translations-download` command. Releases are frequent: version v26.9.13 was released on 2026-09-27. ## Nextcloud Integration: Sync, Versioning, and the QOwnNotesAPI App Notes sync through Nextcloud's or ownCloud's standard file sync client. The note files are just Markdown files in a directory that the sync client watches, so the sync mechanism is the same as syncing any other folder. This means QOwnNotes also works with Syncthing and Dropbox, since those services sync directories the same way. The QOwnNotesAPI Nextcloud app extends the integration to add two features not available through file sync alone: versioning and trash. With QOwnNotesAPI installed on the server, QOwnNotes can restore older versions of a note directly from the UI, and it can recover notes that have been moved to the server-side trash. For todo list management, the Tasks backend app for Nextcloud or ownCloud must also be installed separately. Note names in QOwnNotes are derived from the first line of the note text, matching the convention used by the Nextcloud and ownCloud web notes applications. This preserves consistency between what the desktop client and the web interface show as the note title. The Android companion app QOwnNotes Android provides mobile access to the same plain Markdown files synced through Nextcloud. For iOS, the README mentions CloudNotes as a compatible client. Other options documented include Markor on Android and Notebooks on iOS, with varying levels of direct integration. ## Editor Features: Wiki Links, Spellchecking, Scripting, and MCP The editor supports wiki-style note links in the format `[[Note]]`, with auto-completion, heading anchors, aliases, backlinks, and refactoring support. This makes it possible to build a linked knowledge base using plain files without a proprietary graph format. Spellchecking is built in. The README also documents integration with LanguageTool for grammar and style checking, Harper for lightweight grammar checking, and Markdown LSP support for completions and diagnostics via Marksman or linting via Rumdl. These are opt-in integrations, not defaults. Scripting support allows users to extend the application through a script repository hosted at github.com/qownnotes/scripts, and scripts can be installed from inside the application without leaving it. Built-in AI support comes through script integration for providers including OpenAI and Groq. The README documents a built-in MCP server that allows external AI agents to search and fetch notes securely. This positions QOwnNotes as a note source that AI tools can query without requiring direct file system access, which matters for team setups where AI tooling operates in a restricted context. The QOwnNotes Web Companion browser extension for Chrome and Firefox allows adding notes from selected browser text. A separate web app is available at app.qownnotes.org for browser-based access. ## Where QOwnNotes Is the Wrong Tool QOwnNotes does not support real-time collaborative editing. Multiple users can write to the same Nextcloud-synced folder, but there is no conflict resolution beyond file-level sync, and simultaneous edits to the same note from two clients will produce a sync conflict that must be resolved manually. Setting up versioning and trash recovery requires installing QOwnNotesAPI on a Nextcloud or ownCloud server. Users who do not have admin access to their sync server cannot enable those features. The README notes that local trash and system trash modes exist as fallbacks, but they do not provide the full server-side history that QOwnNotesAPI enables. QOwnNotes does not render attachments inline beyond images, and it has no canvas or diagram drawing mode. For users whose notes involve heavily visual layouts or embedded documents, the plain Markdown model is a real constraint. The GPL-2.0 license means that modifications to QOwnNotes itself must be released under the same terms. For organizations that embed or redistribute modified versions, this requires a legal review. The scripting interface is a practical way to extend functionality without modifying the core application. ## QOwnNotes vs Obsidian: The Key Difference Obsidian is the most commonly compared alternative. Both applications store notes as plain Markdown files, and both support wiki-style links between notes. The differences are in licensing, architecture, and sync. Obsidian uses Electron and is proprietary for commercial use; it requires a paid license for business and commercial organizations. QOwnNotes is GPL-2.0 licensed and free for all uses. Obsidian offers a paid sync service, iCloud sync, and its own file sync mechanism; it does not provide first-party Nextcloud integration. QOwnNotes relies on external sync clients (Nextcloud, Syncthing, Dropbox) but integrates tightly with Nextcloud for versioning and trash. For home users who do not run a Nextcloud server, Obsidian's sync ecosystem is more turnkey. For users already on Nextcloud who want a fully open-source, low-memory desktop client with server-side versioning, QOwnNotes is the more direct fit. ## Release Cadence, License, and Maintenance State QOwnNotes ships frequent releases under a date-based version scheme: v26.9.13 was released on 2026-09-27, v26.9.12 on 2026-09-26, and the last push to the repository was on 2026-09-26. This pattern reflects an active development pace with multiple releases per month. Translations are managed via Crowdin and the contributor portal documents how to add or correct translations. The CHANGELOG.md in the repository tracks changes across versions. The GPL-2.0 license means the source code must remain open for any distributed modifications, and the application is copyleft at the binary level. The scripting API and the MCP server are the mechanisms for integration without triggering GPL obligations on the integrating code. ## Conclusion QOwnNotes suits engineers and privacy-conscious users who already run Nextcloud or ownCloud and want their notes to stay in plain Markdown files on disk, accessible from a mobile device or the web without lock-in. It is the wrong choice for teams who need real-time collaborative editing or who do not want to manage a Nextcloud server. Users on Obsidian who need Nextcloud integration rather than a proprietary sync service should compare the two directly. Before installing, confirm that the QOwnNotesAPI Nextcloud app is available for your server version, since versioning and trash recovery depend on it. ## FAQ ### How do I install QOwnNotes? The README directs to the installation page at qownnotes.org/installation, which covers packages for various Linux distributions, macOS, and Windows. The Snap package is also available, and for developers, nix build from the repository is documented in the justfile. ### Is QOwnNotes good for replacing Obsidian? Both store notes as plain Markdown files and support wiki-style links. QOwnNotes is GPL-2.0 licensed and free for commercial use, written in C++ rather than Electron, and integrates directly with Nextcloud for sync and versioning. Obsidian is proprietary for commercial use and offers its own paid sync service. ### Is QOwnNotes safe to use? QOwnNotes stores notes as plain Markdown files on disk. The application is GPL-2.0 open-source, has a privacy policy in the repository at PRIVACY.md, and a Tor Hidden Service is documented in the README for privacy-sensitive access to the project site. ### How does QOwnNotes compare to Logseq? The README does not document a direct comparison with Logseq. Both support plain Markdown files and wiki-style links, but QOwnNotes emphasizes Nextcloud and ownCloud integration for sync, versioning, and trash, while Logseq centers on an outliner format and local graph database. ## Sources - [License: GPL-2.0](https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes/blob/main/LICENSE) - [pbek/QOwnNotes on GitHub](https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes) - [Project website](https://www.qownnotes.org/) - [README](https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes/blob/main/README.md) - [Releases](https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes/releases) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/pbek-qownnotes