Great note-taking apps for developers
Tags: notes, markdown, documentation, developers
Published: 2020-03-02 17:01:19

<small>(image credit [vidsplay](https://stocksnap.io/author/vidsplay) on [stocksnap.io](https://stocksnap.io))</small>


I've compiled this list of note-taking tools because I get disorganized very quickly, and there are way too many of these things. So I thought I'd help narrow it down.

# Markdown based
These note apps are powered by markdown (and also all eerily similar to one another).

## [Notable](https://notable.md/)
<small>Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows</small>

Notable is a clean, focused, and powerful markdown-based note-taking tool. Notable allows you to organize your notes into tags and notebooks. You can also import existing markdown files, as well as sync your `~/.notable` directory via any cloud-syncing service. Notable has plans to integrate *directly* with cloud storage solutions in the near future as well, making it a very promising tool.

Fun fact: Notable's Markdown editor is the same one vscode uses, which means you get multiple cursor support and more!

## [Boostnote](https://boostnote.io/)
<small>Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows, iOS(*planned*)</small>

Boostnote is fairly similar, if not a blatant facsimile of Notable, with a couple of key differences:
  - It's got more themes
  - It's keyboard shortcuts are... very different from what I'm used to.
  - It's taking things in a cloud-first direction
Boostnote's similarity to Notable is not a bad thing, however personally I feel a little overwhelmed by it's interface.
Boostnote *also* uses vscode for it's editor.

## [Bear](https://bear.app/)
<small>Platforms: iOS, Mac</small>

Bear is probably one of my favorite apps of all time. It's simple, stylish, and very easy to use. It's my go-to app for taking notes on my phone. While I don't own a Mac (and hopefully never will), I still find lot's of times where bear has come in handy (for instance, Bear is where I wrote this article.)

## [Joplin](https://joplinapp.org/)
<small>Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and as a CLI</small>

Joplin has a **ton** of cool features. From it's browser extension to it's version control, Joplin has it all. While this might seem like probably the most versatile note-taking app in existence, that is actually Joplin's only downside. With it's intense feature-set and frankly verbose introductory example, it's easier than you'd think to get lost in Joplin's sauce. But if you're someone with laser-like focus all the time, and think you can handle what Joplin has to offer, then have at it! 


# Block based
This next set of note-taking apps are an order of magnitude more powerful than those mentioned previously. But with great power...

## [Notion](https://notion.so/)
The team behind Notion describes it as
> A tool that blends your everyday work apps into one. It's the all-in-one workspace for you and your team.

And while that quote may scratch Notion's surface, I feel that it is an injustice to the product. Notion is a powerful, logical, and multi-facet document editor and workspace. Notion let's you: write blogs, create kan-ban boards, manage your coursework for uni, document products, services, and tools with an expressive set of rich text features you won't find anywhere else, and - most importantly - take notes.

Personally, I use Notion for a lot of things:
  - Tracking coursework and grades
  - Documenting the tools and libraries I create
  - Starting a blog
  - At my startup for all internal documentation

I don't know how I documented work before Notion. Go ahead and give it a try! Sign up at [https://notion.so/](https://notion.so/)

## [Roam](https://roamresearch.com)
Roam is interesting... At first, it feels kiiiiinda similar to [Notion](https://notion.so/), but then you start using it. Roam is a tool for **thought networking**, a practice I - myself - am not very familiar with. I had to watch a YouTube video and even then I still felt as though there were gaps in my understanding of the tool. My first time reading through the [Roam White Paper](https://roamresearch.com/#/v8/help/page/Vu1MmjinS) I felt so lost, and still do. But, regardless, Roam has helped me map out my thoughts more. I find ideas really flow when I'm writing in Roam.

# My Top Picks

The three I use the most are:
  - [Notion](https://notion.so)
  - [Roam](https://roamresearch.com)
  - [Notable](https://notable.md)

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day :-)