# Joplin — Privacy-Focused Open-Source Note Taking App

> Joplin is a privacy-focused note taking app with sync capabilities for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Markdown-based, end-to-end encrypted sync, supports Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, S3, and WebDAV. The open-source alternative to Evernote.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

## Quick Use

Download from https://joplinapp.org/download or:
```bash
brew install --cask joplin                  # macOS GUI
npm i -g joplin                             # CLI version
snap install joplin-desktop                 # Linux
```

CLI usage:
```bash
joplin mknote "Meeting Notes 2026-04-12"
joplin ls
joplin cat "Meeting Notes 2026-04-12"
joplin sync                                 # Sync to configured backend
```

## Intro

Joplin is a privacy-focused note taking and to-do application with sync capabilities. Created by Laurent Cozic. Supports Markdown, rich text editing, tags, notebooks, full-text search, and end-to-end encrypted synchronization via Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, S3, or WebDAV. Available on every platform: desktop (Electron), mobile (React Native), CLI, and web clipper.

- **Repo**: https://github.com/laurent22/joplin
- **Stars**: 54K+
- **Language**: TypeScript
- **License**: AGPL 3.0 (apps) / MIT (server)

## What Joplin Does

- **Markdown notes** — full Markdown support with preview
- **Notebooks and tags** — hierarchical organization
- **End-to-end encryption** — E2EE for all synced data
- **Sync backends** — Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, S3, WebDAV, Joplin Cloud
- **Web clipper** — browser extension to save web pages
- **To-do lists** — with alarms
- **Plugins** — 200+ community plugins
- **Full-text search** — FTS across all notes
- **Attachments** — images, PDFs, any file
- **Export** — Markdown, PDF, HTML, JEX

## Architecture

Desktop: Electron + React. Mobile: React Native. Data stored as Markdown files in a local SQLite database. Sync uses a delta-based protocol over REST APIs to the configured backend. E2EE uses AES-256.

## Comparison

| App | Open Source | E2EE | Self-host |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin | Yes (AGPL) | Yes | Yes |
| Obsidian | No | Via plugin | No |
| Notion | No | No | No |
| Standard Notes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Logseq | Yes | No (local) | N/A |

## FAQ

**Q: Joplin vs Obsidian?**
A: Joplin is fully open source with built-in sync and E2EE; Obsidian uses local files with a richer plugin ecosystem and more modern UI. Joplin fits privacy-conscious and self-hosted users; Obsidian fits those after experience and community.

**Q: Where is data stored?**
A: In a local SQLite database. When syncing, it's encrypted and uploaded to a backend you pick (Nextcloud, S3, etc.). You always control the data.

## Sources

- Docs: https://joplinapp.org/help
- GitHub: https://github.com/laurent22/joplin
- License: AGPL 3.0

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/joplin-privacy-focused-open-source-note-taking-app-42403801
Author: Script Depot