NotePlan is a native (Mac & iOS) calendar driven note-taking app for pros built on top of plain text Markdown files saved in a local folder (+ notes are linkable).
Gorgeous!
I love the openness, the iCloud sync and design.
What keeps me from embracing this app, and previously kept me from sticking with others, is that inline attachments - mostly images and PDFs - are an integral part of my workflow, and so I have to live with thousands of items in Notes.app.
I know I could save files and link them inside the MD files, but drag and drop and inline previews are hard to beat for convenience.
All this rant just to say I can’t be the only one with this problem, so maybe there’s an opportunity and even a market if someone cracks MD notes with automatic archiving of pasted files and automatic previews... 👀
@cdf1982 Thanks! Images can be already embedded. Files not yet, but it’s on my list. Some users prefer to store files in their Dropbox and only drop the link into NotePlan, but I also see your use case requested!
@metzgereduard I am so used to inline images not being supported, that I didn't even think to try 😬! But it's awesome they are there, and that you're thinking of adding other file types in the future.
I started my trial a couple of hours ago, and first of all let me say that the free month is really smart: the app is not inexpensive, but with a month to try it, then that subscription price becomes absolutely reasonable... I am absolutely willing to pay 0,16 € / day for my notes if I finally find the right app (it's been a long journey ;).
So far, I am utterly impressed by the Mac app: I tried a couple of curve balls (Are notes linkable from outside the app? Yes. What if I add a Markdown file in Finder? It appears in the sidebar half a second later).
The use model, with a note for each day in addition to folders and tags, is different from how I work, but it could actually be the way I finally start journaling, having it there already.
The command bar is awesome. The global shortcut very much needed. Nested tags are great (I don't always agree with "all lowercase tags", but it's absolutely something I can live with).
A question: by default the app uses CloudKit, which I know to be reliable and fast. I thought that switching to iCloud Drive was there to make adding files from outside the app, or accessing existing notes, easier, but then I see that's also possible with CloudKit. So, I wonder what's the use case for iCloud Drive.
Finally, a couple of notes for things you might want to look into:
- If I start creating a calendar event and then press Cancel, I always get an "Updating event failed" alert, but if I click outside the calendar event creation popup, then it dismisses just fine.
- If possible, it would be great if inline images weren't be completely renamed when pasted inside the app and saved in the date_attachments subfolder.
- The way markdown links are autogenerated for inline images - ! [ image ]( 68F99406-EA55-4AD5-9844-8F88F2A6E442.png ) - works well in NotePlan, because it know to look for images in the date_attachments subfolder, but breaks when previewing markdown files in other apps.
Sorry if this is too much feedback, but NotePlan mostly looks for what I've always wanted (and something more, see daily notes) and if you ever add files support (even without inline previews, just the same behaviour of automatically copying them inside the attachments subfolder, possibly with most of the name intact, even after a UUID at the beginning), then you have a customer, fan and friend for life ;)
@metzgereduard OK, a couple of questions on iOS / iPadOS and then I'l stop... 😃
1. Is Shortcuts support for adding notes / appending to notes something you're thinking about?
2. On iPadOS, I'm using Notes.app ability to have multiple windows more than I'd have imagined. While I could live without it, I was wondering if SceneDelegate is in your future...
@cdf1982 Thanks! You mention a few good points :)
> iCloud Drive
This was the previous sync system from NotePlan 2. I just kept it around, in case some users don't want to switch. The access to the iCloud Drive folder is easier and some people use it to access data from Windows. Other than that, it has some issues with reliability. Sometimes files are not synced, and you need to open the Finder or Files app to kick it off. That's all solved with CloudKit.
> Cancel bug
Solved, will be shipped in the next update
> Inline image renaming
Yes, the problem I tried to avoid is having to check for duplicate names. But it makes sense to keep the original name around.
> Image path
Yes, you are right. The way it is right now makes it easier to move things around, because I don't have to rename the paths of all images when the folder somehow changes. But it's not ideal.
@cdf1982
> Shortcuts
X-Callback-Urls could be used for that with Shortcuts: https://noteplan.co/faq/General/...
> iPadOS - multiple windows
Thanks for mentioning this, it wasn't on my radar, but makes sense. I have noted it!
@humbleuidesigns I though of the same question and just checked NotePlan's website. There is a small FAQ section at the bottom of the website which anwers the question regarding Setapp:"Eventually yes, but not at launch time. NotePlan 3 will launch on the AppStore first, then I'll add it to Setapp." 🥳
@humbleuidesigns I'm still evaluating this. Unfortunately, I don't find it very transparent how the revenue is calculated on Setapp and it's hard to judge if it will be any help or eat into the App Store subscriptions.
@humbleuidesigns@metzgereduard I have SetApp and would definitely use this, I would also glady pay for it with App Store, except the read only without a subscription doesn't allow me to see if I can use it for my notes. It does seem like it could replace notion, but cannot confirm
@humbleuidesigns@devingray__ You have a 1 month trial for the annual subscription, which you can cancel anytime before the trial expires. You won't get charged before that. You can cancel right after subscribing if you fear forgetting it. Apple is sending you a receipt with the link to manage your subscriptions.
Hi Product Hunt 🙂
NotePlan 3 is going live today on the App Store (Mac, iPhone, and iPad) 🥳
I have created NotePlan to be your task-manager, calendar, and note-taking app in one (Bullet Journal style). All your notes are locally saved as plain text-files and are [[linkable]] (+ backlinks).
Markdown makes the content of your notes future-proof and highly portable. Apple's CloudKit service is used to sync everything across your devices (you don't need to rely on private sync solutions).
NotePlan is a 100% native app written in Swift. This means: a beautiful, clean design, super-fast, and highly integrated into Apple's ecosystem (iOS included). It also syncs with iCloud calendar and reminders.
If you are looking for a native alternative to Obsidian and Roam, which has iOS apps, NotePlan also supports bi-directional linking and is compatible with Obsidian (change the file-extension to .md in NotePlan's preferences) and Roam (when you export your data as Markdown files).
With NotePlan, you can build your favorite productivity workflow:
- Zettelkasten ([back-]linking, folder support, notes)
- GTD (tasks are first-class citizens, create project notes and schedule)
- Bullet Journal (daily notes, re-schedule tasks, undated notes as lists)
Read a quick walkthrough here (with videos): https://noteplan.co/walkthrough
Read more about NotePlan's features here: https://noteplan.co/features
If you have questions, just ask :)
Best,
Eduard
Been using NotePlan for several years, and its my trusted place to put all my notes and tasks, projects and research. It all links together beautifully with my calendar and it has the power, flexibility and portability of markdown underneath it all. With V3 it's made huge strides forward in usability and added support for Zettelkasten and similar workflows. I know many more ideas are coming in future releases, as the developer is very responsive in a number of forums.
I’ve been using Noteplan since version one. It’s absolutely the application that I use to drive my personal and work life. Part bullet journal, part project and meeting log, all productivity. The developer has been consistently improving this app over time. I highly recommend it!
NotePlan 3 is absolutely spectacular, and I warmly recommend it. NotePlan 2 was already great, which I got through SetApp, and NotePlan 3 refines everything and makes it so much more powerful.
It is Zettelkasten markdown notes, all your calendars, tasks and reminders - somehow blended together in a delightful mix that works just right.
Moreover, Eduard is responsive, enthusiastic, and deeply cares for the great NotePlan community. I regularly get "Oh I didn't even know I wanted that!" updates, which is all the more impressive given the 1 person team.
I definitively recommend this product. If you want even more details on how to use it read this article: https://dvarlot.medium.com/build.... This product is really helpful and central to build a personal productivity system.
I haven't used Noteplan 3 yet. But I love Noteplan 2 and what Eduard is doing with these apps. He outcompeting most external brain apps alone by just focusing on the fundamentals. This is a really, really, great app for all us gardener-type note takers.
Great job. I love that is a native app whereas notion and others use electron.
?makers Do you have plans to add a code block with triple backquotes? As a developer, I miss having that.
I have been following the evolution and process of NotePlan for quite some time, but I just started to test out NotePlan 2 which is part of my Setapp subscription. I absolutely love NotePlans calendar-driven note-taking approach. It is an incredible piece of software. Since I am working across different platforms, I am deeply looking forward to a web version, after that, I will be completely sold. 🥰
Congrats on the launch Eduard!
It's very well thought out. The attention to detail is brilliant. It has become my main to-do app after trying many of the others. I would highly recommend trying it out. I have been using it from version 1, when I thought it was a great tool. The new version takes it up quite a few notches. The developer has really thought through his app to make it more useful and powerful.
?makers This looks amazing! I love so much about it. A couple lazy questions for ya though.
1. I'm specifically looking for the ability to attach a note to a meeting (not just a day or project. I don't see that capability here. Am I missing something? If not, could you explain the reasoning behind not being able to link a particular note to a particular meeting and then linking it to the day?
2. This seems like it might be able to integrate with Obsidian, not just be a replacement for it. Any thoughts or resources on that? I like Obsidian for lots of reasons that don't have to do with my daily notes, projects, or the like.
@nateritter Thanks!
> Meetings notes
This is planned! Just didn't have time yet to build it, but it's definitely something I want to support. So, it's high up the priority besides backlinks.
> Obsidian integration
Yes, there is a massive blog post on this going into every detail thanks to Ryan Murphy, the author: https://axle.design/why-and-how-...
TL;DR: In the preferences of NotePlan change the file-extension to .md and point your vault to NotePlans folder or just "Notes" folder as needed. Inside the advanced CloudKit preferences you find a button to open the notes in Finder. There are still some caveats, but I'm working on ironing them out.
@metzgereduard Outstanding! Thanks for the resources. And thanks for working on ironing out the kinks with the integration. I think this could very easily win product of MY year with that type of integration + event-based notes. I've been looking for this for a long time! Thank you!
I was a NotePlan 2 user and was instantly hooked. Having beta tested 3 it was an instant purchase for me. The new upgrades make it so easy for me to track my ToDo's and notes and across Apple platforms.
What exactly is the difference between v3 and v2 — I've searched here, on reddit, and on the website — please just post a changelog somewhere, rather than recount every single feature of v3 (which does not make it clear what the differences are, it just makes it clear what is included in v3)
@balupton New in NotePlan 3:
- CloudKit sync (faster and more reliable than iCloud Drive)
- Folder structure support (in the left sidebar you can organize notes in folders)
- On Mac new User Interface redesigned to focus on the note-taking (editor is central)
- Timeline event block view on the right (to visualize when and how long events are)
- Timeblocking: "* buy milk at 2pm-3pm" in the right sidebar
- Global Command Bar for quick access, search and adding todos (CMD+J or globally Control + CMD + J)
- Review view: Improved view for search filters.
- Week view: 7 daily notes are listed vertically for better overview and events on the right
- Backlinking (see the references from another note to the current note at the top)
These are the biggest changes from the top of my head.
@reiter_jakob It supports Exchange, through your iCloud. See on your Mac or iOS device "Internet Accounts". Once you are able to add Exchange or Office365 there, means it's also added to your regular Apple Calendar, then you can use it in NotePlan as well.
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