What is VNote used for?

VNote is a free, Qt-based note-taking application written in C++ that focuses on Markdown editing and note management on Linux, Windows and macOS. It is a good fit for keeping local Markdown notes, technical note-taking with diagrams and math, and developers who prefer Vim-style editing.

Is VNote open source?

Yes. VNote is open source under the LGPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at vnotex/vnote and is written mainly in C++.

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

Can I self-host VNote?

Yes. VNote can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is VNote an alternative to?

VNote is an open-source alternative to Typora, Obsidian, Ulysses and iA Writer. Other open-source alternatives to Typora include Zettlr, SoloMD and MarkText.

Is VNote actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to VNote was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v4.8.0, published on 23 September 2026. The project has 13k stars on GitHub.

VNote: open-source alternative to Typora, Obsidian, Ulysses

About VNote

VNote is a free, open-source note-taking application built with Qt and written in native C++. It currently focuses on Markdown, and aims to offer a pleasant editing experience while also providing notes management, so it is more than a simple Markdown editor.

Because it uses Qt, the same application runs on Linux, Windows and macOS. The project topics reference Vim-style editing, UML diagrams and MathJax math rendering, and the maintainers say that formats beyond Markdown are planned. Continuous builds from the master branch and stable releases are published on GitHub and Gitee.

VNote is licensed under LGPL-3.0, with bundled third-party icon sets recorded in a separate notices file. It is a desktop application that runs locally rather than a hosted service. It suits people who want local Markdown notes organized in notebooks, and developers who prefer a native editor over an Electron-based one.

Key features

Native C++ and Qt desktop application
Markdown editing focus
Notes management and notebooks
Vim mode support
UML and MathJax rendering
Runs on Linux, Windows and macOS

Good fit for

→Keeping local Markdown notes
→Technical note-taking with diagrams and math
→Developers who prefer Vim-style editing

Built with: C++
Tags: note-taking; markdown; qt; cpp; vim; desktop; mathjax; notes

VNote: questions and answers

What is VNote used for?: VNote is a free, Qt-based note-taking application written in C++ that focuses on Markdown editing and note management on Linux, Windows and macOS. It is a good fit for keeping local Markdown notes, technical note-taking with diagrams and math, and developers who prefer Vim-style editing.
Is VNote open source?: Yes. VNote is open source under the LGPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at vnotex/vnote and is written mainly in C++.
Is VNote free?: Yes. VNote is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host VNote?: Yes. VNote can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is VNote an alternative to?: VNote is an open-source alternative to Typora, Obsidian, Ulysses and iA Writer. Other open-source alternatives to Typora include Zettlr, SoloMD and MarkText.
Is VNote actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to VNote was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v4.8.0, published on 23 September 2026. The project has 13k stars on GitHub.