Notedown
Markdown notes with images and AI search; synced everywhere
5 followers
Markdown notes with images and AI search; synced everywhere
5 followers
Notedown fixes the note app dilemma: fast apps lack features, feature-rich apps are slow. Notedown provides a rich markdown editor with image and semantic search support in a <200 kb package for lightning-fast loads. All features (including semantic search) fully work offline as well. Notes are local by default. Enable sync for a note to sync it across any number of devices. Speed of Notepad + intelligence of AI + sync of Notion, without the bloat.
What inspired you to build this?
I love the speed and minimalism of Windows Notepad—it just opens instantly, no bloat, no distractions. But Notepad is too minimal. No formatting, no images, no structure.
I wanted Notepad's speed with markdown's formatting power, accessible from any browser. That simple idea became Notedown.
What problem were you trying to solve?
The Notepad problem: Lightning-fast but feature-poor. No markdown, no images, no rich text.
The modern note app problem: Feature-rich but painfully slow. Notion takes 3+ seconds to load. Obsidian requires desktop installation and has a learning curve.
I wanted:
Notepad's instant startup (<200ms)
Markdown formatting (headers, lists, code blocks)
Image pasting that just works
Browser-based (no installation, works everywhere)
Offline-first (no waiting for cloud sync)
How did your approach evolve?
Started with the core: Fast markdown editor with live preview in the browser. PWA for offline support and instant loading.
First addition: Image pasting. Screenshots and photos should just work—paste and they appear inline, stored automatically.
User feedback: "I can't find my old notes." Added keyword search, but it wasn't enough—you can't remember exact words from months ago.
Breakthrough moment: Discovered browser-based AI embeddings (transformers.js + gte-small). Semantic search became possible without cloud APIs or sacrificing speed. Search by meaning, not keywords—100% offline, 100% private.
Next evolution: People wanted sync across devices, but I refused to make it cloud-first. Built local-first architecture where notes live on your device first, sync is optional. You can use Notedown forever without signing in.
Final polish: Auto-save, conflict resolution, mobile support. Kept bundle under 200kb by being ruthless—every feature had to justify its weight.
Key learning: Speed isn't just about performance—it's about respecting users' time. If Notepad can open instantly, so can a markdown editor with AI search.