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Home/Categories/Business & Productivity/Zettlr
icon of Zettlr

Zettlr

Open source alternative to Notion, Evernote and Scrivener

A free, open-source Markdown editor designed for researchers and writers, supporting the entire writing process from notes to publication.

image of Zettlr
Contents
  1. 01Who Zettlr is for

Repository

Stars
13K
Forks
790
License
GPL-3.0
Latest
v4.5.0
Last commit
19 days ago
Last verified
May 13, 2026
Repo
Zettlr/Zettlr ↗

Additional details

13K starsTypeScriptGPL-3.0Active this month
Visit websiteGitHub repo
  • 02The problem it solves
  • 03How it solves it
  • 04Strengths and trade-offs
  • 05Tech stack
  • 06FAQ
  • 07Similar open-source tools
    • TL;DR

    Zettlr is a local-first Markdown writing app for researchers, writers, and students who want notes, citations, and exports without a hosted workspace. It replaces tools such as Notion, Evernote, or Scrivener for people who prefer GPL-3.0 desktop software and plain-text files.GPL-3.0 · TypeScript · 13K stars · Active this month

    who it's for

    Who Zettlr is for#

    Researchers writing papers

    Zettlr fits researchers who want citation-aware Markdown writing with local files they can keep for years.

    Skip if:

    Skip it if your lab requires a browser-based shared workspace for every draft.

    Writers leaving proprietary notes apps

    Writers can move drafts into plain Markdown and avoid account-bound note storage.

    Skip if:

    Choose Scrivener or a hosted workspace if corkboard planning or realtime collaboration matters more than file portability.

    the problem

    The problem it solves#

    how Zettlr solves it

    How it solves it#

    Local Markdown library

    Zettlr works with Markdown files on your machine, so notes and drafts remain plain text instead of becoming workspace records in a hosted database.

    Citation workflow support

    Zettlr integrates with research writing workflows, including citation and bibliography handling through common academic tooling.

    Export-oriented writing

    The app focuses on turning Markdown drafts into publishable formats. That makes it useful for papers, essays, books, and structured notes.

    strengths · trade-offs

    Strengths and trade-offs#

    Strengths

    • Plain-text ownershipZettlr's strongest advantage is that the work remains in local Markdown files. Writers can back up, version, search, or migrate those files without waiting for a vendor export.
    • Researcher-friendly scopeUnlike general workspace tools, Zettlr centers on writing, notes, citations, and export. That narrower scope is a strength for academic and long-form work.

    Trade-offs

    • -Not a collaborative workspaceZettlr is a desktop writing app, not a team wiki with realtime multiplayer editing, permissions, and shared databases.
    • -Markdown discipline requiredUsers who dislike files, folders, or markup may prefer a hosted notes app with more visual structure and less format control.
    tech stack · detected from GitHub

    What it's built on#

    Languages
    JavaScriptTypeScript
    Frameworks
    Vue
    Runtimes
    Node.js
    Tooling
    Webpack
    frequently asked

    FAQ#

    Does Zettlr store notes locally?

    Yes. Zettlr works with local Markdown files rather than requiring a hosted note database.

    Is Zettlr good for academic writing?

    Yes. Zettlr is designed for research and long-form writing workflows, including citation-oriented work.

    What license does Zettlr use?
    also worth a look

    Similar open-source tools#

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    Language
    TypeScript
    Open issues
    542
    Contributors
    184
    First release
    2017

    Categories

    Business & ProductivityDeveloper ToolsProduct & Project Management

    Tags

    Note-taking AppsKnowledge ManagementDocumentationOpen CoreSelf HostedCode Editors

    Long-form writing and research notes age badly inside tools that hide data behind sync accounts or proprietary export formats. Academic writers also need citations, bibliography workflows, and repeatable exports rather than a generic notes canvas.

    The core pain is portability. Researchers want notes that remain readable in any editor, survive app changes, and fit with citation managers and academic publishing formats.

    Zettlr is GPL-3.0 licensed.