What is Dnote used for?

Dnote is a simple command line notebook that stores notes in a single SQLite file, with full-text search and optional sync through a self-hosted server. It is a good fit for saving commands and snippets from the terminal, keeping a private developer knowledge base, and syncing notes between machines you control.

Is Dnote open source?

Yes. Dnote is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at dnote/dnote and is written mainly in Go.

Yes. Dnote is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

What is Dnote an alternative to?

Dnote is an open-source alternative to Evernote. Other open-source alternatives to Evernote include Memos, Trilium Notes and CherryTree.

Is Dnote actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Dnote was on 25 July 2026. The project has 3.1k stars on GitHub.

Dnote: open-source alternative to Evernote

About Dnote

Dnote is a command line notebook for capturing commands, snippets and insights without leaving the terminal. It ships as a single binary with no dependencies, has been developed since 2017, and keeps all notes in one SQLite file that is portable, searchable and fully under your control.

Notes are found again with full-text search, and Dnote works with your favorite text editor, whether terminal-based or graphical. Because the data is a SQLite file, you can back it up anywhere, query it with standard tools or migrate it easily. An optional server, also a single binary with embedded SQLite, lets you sync notes between devices and access them through a REST API, and it can be deployed with Docker or run directly.

Dnote is written in Go and licensed under Apache-2.0, with binaries for macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and Windows and installation through Homebrew or direct download. The project states it will always be free. It suits developers and sysadmins who want a lightweight personal knowledge base inside the terminal.

Key features

Single binary with no dependencies
Full-text search across notes
Notes stored in one SQLite file
Works with any text editor
Optional self-hosted sync server
REST API access to notes

Good fit for

→Saving commands and snippets from the terminal
→Keeping a private developer knowledge base
→Syncing notes between machines you control

Built with: Go
Tags: notes; cli; command-line; sqlite; note-taking; developer-tools; self-hosted; go; knowledge-base

Dnote: questions and answers

What is Dnote used for?: Dnote is a simple command line notebook that stores notes in a single SQLite file, with full-text search and optional sync through a self-hosted server. It is a good fit for saving commands and snippets from the terminal, keeping a private developer knowledge base, and syncing notes between machines you control.
Is Dnote open source?: Yes. Dnote is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at dnote/dnote and is written mainly in Go.
Is Dnote free?: Yes. Dnote is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
What is Dnote an alternative to?: Dnote is an open-source alternative to Evernote. Other open-source alternatives to Evernote include Memos, Trilium Notes and CherryTree.
Is Dnote actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Dnote was on 25 July 2026. The project has 3.1k stars on GitHub.