Zen

Zen is a minimal note-taking application that stores notes in standard Markdown format within a local SQLite database. It addresses the need for user-controlled, future-proof storage by avoiding proprietary formats and vendor lock-in, allowing notes to remain accessible and portable over time.

The application supports flexible organization through tags rather than folders, along with custom views called Focus Modes that adapt to changing priorities. Notes can be archived for later use or soft-deleted with restore options, and important notes may be pinned for quick access. Multiple layouts are available, including list, card, and gallery views optimized for different content types. Rich Markdown handling covers tables, code blocks, task lists, and highlights. Images may be added through drag-and-drop or clipboard paste, with a gallery view providing automatic management of visual content. Templates allow creation of reusable note structures with placeholders, while a formatting toolbar offers quick access to headings, lists, links, checklists, and other options.

Full-text search operates across titles and content using BM25 ranking, delivering results as the user types and including archived or deleted notes. Keyboard shortcuts cover note creation, searching, formatting, and navigation. The interface maintains a minimal design with a subdued palette to reduce distractions. Additional capabilities include dark mode, offline access, responsive design for mobile devices, and installation as a progressive web application.

Zen is delivered as a single Go binary or through Docker Compose, with low resource usage of approximately 20MB memory and minimal CPU. It features a lean codebase with minimal dependencies to limit bit rot risk and support long-term stability. Data portability is enabled by importing Markdown and plain text files and exporting complete backups consisting of Markdown files, JSON data, and referenced images. Two experimental features are included: a canvas for spatial arrangement of notes and images, and an MCP Server for connecting AI applications to interact with notes.