# 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 two things built in that set it apart: **AI that lives inside your notes**, and **runnable code blocks that turn data into results, inline**. Its treeview composes folders from anywhere on your disk into one workspace — your files stay put, nothing to migrate. 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; a one-time license unlocks unlimited AI with your own models (BYOK). 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 two superpowers:
1. **AI inside the editor** — pull any note in with `@`. Type `@` to bring any note, folder, or code block in as grounded context; the AI reads it and writes the result inline, where you wrote it. No second app, no chat window.
2. **Run code on your data** — 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.

The AI pillar extends to your real tools through **MCP (Model Context Protocol)**: declare servers in your vault — GitHub, Postgres, Slack, Linear, your filesystem, hundreds more — and AI blocks can query, search and create through them (`tools=github` in a block). Same config format as Claude Desktop; the servers run locally.

**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.
- **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**: free app, all features included · AI starts with free trial requests (Znote AI Cloud), then a one-time **29.90€** Pro license unlocks unlimited AI with your own models (BYOK — OpenAI, OpenRouter, or 100% local with Ollama) · 14-day refund · lifetime updates.
- **Platforms**: Windows (x64/arm64), macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon), Linux (x64 & arm64).

**Also known as / search synonyms**: beautiful markdown editor, minimalist markdown editor, local markdown editor, AI markdown editor, markdown notes app, run code in markdown, JavaScript notebook, data visualization in markdown, local-first notes, offline notes, compose folders notes, aggregate folders workspace, multi-folder notes app, Obsidian compatible markdown editor, obsidian companion app, obsidian plugin, run code in obsidian, Obsidian alternative, Notion alternative, MCP notes app, Model Context Protocol editor, MCP client markdown, connect AI to tools.

## Core pages

- [Home — A beautiful Markdown editor with AI & code built in](https://znote.io/): Main landing page. Hero ("Notes that think and run"), the three moves (Ask — compose AI prompts from your notes · Run — code blocks that become little reusable tools · Connect — MCP servers plug your real tools into AI blocks), testimonials, pricing, 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, license behavior, AI Cloud vs BYOK.
- [Pricing / Checkout](https://znote.io/checkout.html): the app is free; the Pro license (29.90€ one-time) unlocks unlimited AI with your own models (BYOK). Lifetime updates, 14-day refund.
- [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).
- **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, no per-seat subscription. 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 two pillars 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?" → [Pricing](https://znote.io/checkout.html) — 29.90€ one-time unlocks unlimited AI with your own models (BYOK).

## 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).

## 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.