2026.09.10
NoteGen: Turning scattered records into editable Markdown notes
NoteGen is for people who want local Markdown files with optional AI organization. It covers capture, editing, search, knowledge bases, and sync, but AI configuration, data flows, plugin permissions, and platform status need review.
Project overview
NoteGen is a local-first Markdown application built around a capture-first, organize-later workflow. Users can save thoughts, voice recordings, screenshots, images, links, files, or todos, then filter records by tag, time, or type. AI can organize selected material into a summary, report, article, or another Markdown structure. The resulting draft remains editable, so AI-assisted organization does not replace review, restructuring, or continued writing by the user.
Image source: note-gen. Published by the project; the interface may vary by version.
Who it may suit
The project may suit personal knowledge management, research and reading notes, meeting records, weekly reports, and writing workflows that bring several input types into one workspace. Its file model is especially relevant for people who already manage Markdown with Git or prefer ordinary files to a proprietary database. Notes remain Markdown files in the selected workspace, which can be opened in another Markdown editor, moved, or placed under version control.
The README lists tables, task lists, code blocks, math, diagrams, and document outlines, along with source and visual editing modes, search and replace, images and attachments, export and printing, file history, and workspace management. NoteGen can also build a searchable knowledge base from files and combine semantic retrieval with local text search. Further documented capabilities include vector indexing, configurable embedding and reranking models, long-term memories, reusable prompts, MCP servers, Skills, and Agent tools. Its canvas workspace supports editable flowcharts, mind maps, timelines, freehand drawings, data charts, and other diagrams.
Adoption and deployment considerations
“Local-first” should not be treated as evidence that every AI operation runs on the local machine. The README states that NoteGen connects to AI providers configured by the user and can use different models for chat, writing, embeddings, image recognition, OCR, and audio. Before sending meeting recordings, screenshots, internal documents, or personal information, operators should review the chosen provider’s data practices, credential handling, and network requirements. The supplied sources do not establish a general privacy guarantee, performance profile, or hardware baseline.
Sync also requires a deliberate design. Listed options are GitHub, GitLab, Gitee, Gitea, S3-compatible storage, and WebDAV, while local-only backups are possible. The sources do not specify conflict resolution, encryption, recovery procedures, or concrete self-hosting hardware requirements. The related note-gen-server repository is described as a sync and account service with self-hosting support; this alone does not demonstrate that the main application offers a complete integrated self-hosting deployment.
Release v0.37.0 added a desktop plugin marketplace, workspace-level plugin enablement, and access-permission management. The README labels Windows, macOS, and Linux as Beta, Android as Alpha · ARM64, and iOS as Alpha. Teams planning to use it for important material should validate their target platforms, synchronization model, plugin permissions, and backup recovery process. NoteGen uses GPL-3.0, so organizations should separately assess licensing boundaries for plugins, model services, and distribution arrangements.
Sources
Sources checked: 2026-09-10
For deployment help, see the straw-dog service shop and check the scope and server requirements before purchasing.