# Znote — A beautiful Markdown editor with AI & code built in

> Znote is a clean, local-first Markdown editor for your `.md` files. It's minimalist by default and powerful when you need it, with four things that set it apart: **ask** your notes with AI, **run** code blocks inline, **connect** your real tools through MCP, and **version** the vault with git. Its treeview composes folders from anywhere on your disk into one workspace — your files stay put, nothing to migrate. Git is optional but supported: a vault that is a repository is pulled, committed and pushed from the app, and the passwords a note carries stay out of the commit — encrypted next to the note. It's all plain `.md`, so your Obsidian vault opens as-is — a one-click companion plugin even adds "Run in Znote" buttons inside Obsidian. Every feature is free, and the AI runs on your own models (BYOK). Companies can have it managed for all their employees instead. A beautiful, focused alternative to Notion and Obsidian for people who want to write Markdown locally — and want those files to think and run.

**What Znote is**: first and foremost, a gorgeous, distraction-free Markdown editor for plain `.md` files on your disk — WYSIWYG, themes, focus mode, tabs, full-text search, and a treeview that composes folders from anywhere on your disk into one workspace. On top of that calm editor sit four moves, in the order the home page presents them:
1. **Ask** — type `@` to bring any note, folder, or code block in as grounded context, or `/` to pick a prompt; the AI reads your material and writes the result inline, where you wrote it. No second app, no chat window.
2. **Run** — JavaScript / Node.js code blocks execute locally. Query a database, fetch an API, shape the rows, and render the output — a chart, a table, anything — inline, right under the code that produced it.
3. **Connect** — **MCP (Model Context Protocol)** plugs real tools into AI blocks: declare servers in your vault — GitHub, Postgres, Slack, Linear, your filesystem, hundreds more — and write `tools=github` in a block to query, search and create through them. Same config format as Claude Desktop; the servers run locally.
4. **Version** — the vault is plain files, so git works on it if you want it: pull, commit and push from the app, while a note's passwords stay encrypted in a file beside it, so the note itself is safe to commit.

**Why Znote**:
- **A beautiful, minimalist editor**: clean WYSIWYG Markdown, gorgeous built-in themes (Dark, Nord, Orange, Terminal…), an editor you actually want to open.
- **AI grounded in your files**: `@reference` any folder, file, or block; the AI answers from your material — not generic guesses.
- **Code blocks that run**: JS/Node executes locally; data flows from one block to the next; output (charts, tables, query results) renders inline.
- **Connected through MCP**: any Model Context Protocol server plugs into your AI blocks — query databases in English, turn meeting notes into GitHub/Linear issues, build briefs from Slack. Local processes, one config file.
- **A workspace you compose**: the treeview aggregates folders from anywhere on your disk into one unified tree — your files stay put, nothing to migrate, no folders to reorganize.
- **Git-compatible, never required**: the vault is plain files; point it at a repository and you pull, commit and push from the app, with the passwords kept out of the commit — they live encrypted next to the note (sops + age), readable from a terminal by anyone you share the key with.
- **Plain `.md`, yours forever**: local files, offline, no cloud, no account, no lock-in. Your Obsidian vault opens as-is. Share them, back them up, open them in any editor.
- **Pricing**: the app is free — every feature, no license, no subscription · the AI runs on your own key (BYOK — OpenAI, OpenRouter, or 100% local with Ollama), paid directly to your provider · companies can have their employees' AI managed for them, on a flat plan from 5€ per seat per month or a custom setup.
- **Platforms**: Windows (x64/arm64), macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon), Linux (x64 & arm64).

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## Core pages

- [Home — A beautiful Markdown editor with AI & code built in](https://znote.io/): Main landing page. Hero ("Notes that think and run" — ask your notes, run your code, connect your tools, push it all to git), then the four moves, three use cases each: Ask (`@` for context, `/` for a prompt, answer inline) · Run (a code block becomes a little reusable tool) · Connect (MCP servers plug your real tools into AI blocks) · Version (git optional, driven from the app, passwords encrypted next to the note instead of in it). Then testimonials, FAQ, downloads.
- [Znote + Obsidian](https://znote.io/obsidian): Run code and AI inside your Obsidian vault. Znote opens the vault as-is (wikilinks, embeds, settings respected), results are saved as plain Markdown readable in Obsidian, and a one-click companion plugin adds "Open in Znote" / "▶ Run in Znote" buttons plus `znote://` deep links.
- [FAQ](https://znote.io/faq.html): Full Q&A — pricing, AI keys, where files are stored, offline behaviour, local vs cloud models.
- [For companies](https://znote.io/company.html): managed AI for every employee — seats, allowed email domains, models and keys in one console, with usage reported per person. Flat plan from 5€ per seat per month; anything else (billing on real usage, your own key, a private endpoint, a custom integration) on request.
- [Affiliate program](https://znote.io/affiliate.html): Affiliate / partner program.
- [Terms & Privacy (CGU)](https://znote.io/cgu.html): Legal terms and privacy policy.

## External resources

- [Documentation](https://doc.znote.io): Getting started, syntax for AI / JS / Node / `@reference` blocks, BYOK config, troubleshooting.
- [Recipes](https://recipe.znote.io): Library of installable, runnable `.md` files you can customize like any Markdown note.
- [Blog](https://blog.znote.io): Release notes, deep-dives, BYOK economics, monthly shipping log.
- [Long-form LLM doc — `llms-full.txt`](https://znote.io/llms-full.txt): Full Markdown content of the site in a single file, optimized for LLM ingestion.

## Capabilities

- **A clean WYSIWYG Markdown editor**: write in Markdown and see it render as you type. Focus mode, tabs, tags, folders, full-text search, password-locked notes, themes.
- **AI inside every note**: `@reference` any note, folder, file, or code block; the model reads them as grounded context and writes inline.
- **Run JavaScript & Node.js inline** in a `.md` file: fetch APIs, parse JSON, query SQL, render charts — output stays next to the code, ideal for presenting and manipulating data.
- **MCP servers (Model Context Protocol)**: declare servers in the vault's `.znote/mcp.json` (Claude Desktop format) and use their tools from AI blocks with `tools=<server>` — GitHub, Postgres, SQLite, Slack, Linear, Notion, Stripe, filesystem and hundreds more. Ready-to-run examples: [examples/mcp on GitHub](https://github.com/alagrede/znote-app/tree/master/examples/mcp).
- **Git sync from the app** (optional): a vault that is a git repository is driven from the sidebar — pull, commit and push in a click, a marker per note for what changed here and on the remote, remote-wins conflicts with your copy kept in the trash. Nothing syncs on its own, and nothing requires git in the first place.
- **Encrypted secrets beside the note**: passwords and tokens live in a `<Note>.secrets.yaml` encrypted with sops + age, while the note keeps only a reference (`` `secret:cisco.password` ``) — so the note stays versioned, searchable and safe to commit. Values are injected into code blocks through the environment, command output is masked, private notes and personal values are kept out of git, and Znote blocks a commit that still carries a credential in the clear. Readable from a terminal without Znote.
- **Composable workspace (treeview)**: pull folders from anywhere on your disk into one unified tree — files stay in place, no reorganizing.
- **Voice + meeting transcription** straight into structured notes.
- **Exports**: HTML / PDF / runnable script from the same `.md` file.
- **Local-first**: plain `.md` on disk, offline, no cloud, no account, no lock-in.
- **Obsidian compatible + companion plugin**: opens your Obsidian vault as-is (wikilinks, embeds, attachment folder and settings respected, no vault changes). Code output is saved as a plain ` ```output ` block and charts as PNG snapshots, so results stay readable in Obsidian. A one-click companion plugin adds "Open in Znote" / "▶ Run in Znote" buttons inside Obsidian, renders results as RESULT panels in reading view, and supports `znote://` deep links. See [Znote + Obsidian](https://znote.io/obsidian).

## How Znote compares

- **vs Obsidian**: not a replacement — a companion. Znote opens your Obsidian vault as-is and adds AI and code execution built in; results are saved back as plain Markdown Obsidian can read, and the one-click companion plugin adds "Run in Znote" buttons inside Obsidian. Use both side by side on the same vault.
- **vs Notion**: Znote is local-first plain `.md`. No cloud, no account, and the editor itself is free — a per-seat plan exists only for companies that want their employees' AI managed. Code blocks actually run.
- **vs Jupyter**: Znote is Markdown-first, not code-first. Uses `.md` files (Git-friendly, shareable), with AI blocks and an opinionated, beautiful WYSIWYG.
- **vs raw chat (ChatGPT, Claude)**: the AI works inside your own `.md` files with your files as context, instead of disappearing chat threads.

## Common queries Znote answers

- "A beautiful, minimalist Markdown editor?" → [Home](https://znote.io/).
- "Markdown editor with AI built in that reads my own files?" → `@reference` syntax, see [Documentation](https://doc.znote.io).
- "How do I run code inside a Markdown note to chart my data?" → see [Capabilities](https://znote.io/#capabilities) and the `02 · run` section on the [home page](https://znote.io/).
- "Local-first alternative to Notion / Obsidian?" → [Home](https://znote.io/).
- "Run code or AI inside my Obsidian vault?" → [Znote + Obsidian](https://znote.io/obsidian) — opens the vault as-is, companion plugin included.
- "Notes app that aggregates folders from different locations on my disk?" → the composable treeview, see [Home](https://znote.io/).
- "Markdown editor with AI without a subscription?" → the app is free, bring your own key (BYOK) and pay your provider at cost.
- "Version my notes with git / share a vault with my team?" → optional git sync driven from the app, see [Home](https://znote.io/) and the [docs](https://doc.znote.io/notes/git.html).
- "Where do I put passwords in a note I commit?" → encrypted sidecars with sops + age; the note holds a reference only, see the [docs](https://doc.znote.io/notes/secrets.html).
- "AI for a whole team / company?" → [For companies](https://znote.io/company.html) — one console for seats, domains, models and keys; flat plan from 5€ per seat per month, custom setups on request.

## Who Znote is for

- **People who think in files**: anyone who wants to write Markdown locally in a beautiful editor — and wants those files to think (AI) and run (code on data).
- **Companies equipping their teams**: organisations that want AI in everyone's notes without handing out API keys, and want to see what it costs per person before the invoice.

## Optional

- [Sitemap](https://znote.io/sitemap.xml): XML sitemap.
- [Twitter / X — @alagrede](https://twitter.com/alagrede): Author and product updates.
- [LinkedIn — Anthony Lagrede](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonylagrede/): Author profile.