# Offline Note-Taking with TagSpaces

> TagSpaces can be used as a local-first, offline note-taking tool supporting Markdown, HTML, and plain text — with built-in tagging, full-text search, and no account required.

<WebPageSD />

export const noteFeatures = {
  markdown: {
    title: "Markdown Editor with WYSIWYG",
    description: (
      <>{"A rich Markdown editor with live preview, tables, checklists, math expressions, Mermaid diagrams, and frontmatter support."}</>
    ),
    items: [
      <>{"WYSIWYG editing — no need to memorize Markdown syntax"}</>,
      <>{"Tables, checklists, and embedded images"}</>,
      <>{"Math expressions (LaTeX) and Mermaid diagrams"}</>,
      <>{"Frontmatter support — compatible with Obsidian and Jekyll vaults"}</>,
    ],
    actionButtonTitle: "Markdown editor docs",
    actionButtonLink: "https://docs.tagspaces.org/extensions/md-editor/",
    carouselItems: [
      { imageAlt: "WYSIWYG Markdown editing with checklists and tables", imageUrl: "/content/extensions/notetaking-crepe.avif" },
      { imageAlt: "HTML note editing in TagSpaces", imageUrl: "/content/extensions/notetaking-html.avif" },
      { imageAlt: "Markdown editor in dark mode", imageUrl: "/content/extensions/notetaking-dark.avif" },
      { imageAlt: "Plain text editing with syntax highlighting", imageUrl: "/content/extensions/notetaking-text.avif" },
    ],
  },
  search: {
    title: "Find Any Note Instantly",
    description: (
      <>{"Full-text search across all your notes — by content, tags, filename, or date. Save frequent searches for one-click access."}</>
    ),
    items: [
      <>{"Search by content, tags, filename, or description"}</>,
      <>{"Three modes: fuzzy (forgiving), strict (exact), and semi-strict"}</>,
      <>{"Save and reuse search queries"}</>,
      <>{"Filter by file type, date, or size"}</>,
    ],
    actionButtonTitle: "Search docs",
    actionButtonLink: "https://docs.tagspaces.org/search/",
    carouselItems: [
      { imageAlt: "Note-taking use case with tagged notes", imageUrl: "/content/extensions/notetaking-usecase-1.avif" },
      { imageAlt: "Browsing notes organized by tags", imageUrl: "/content/extensions/notetaking-usecase-2.avif" },
      { imageAlt: "Search results across note collection", imageUrl: "/content/extensions/notetaking-usecase-3.avif" },
    ],
  },
};

{/* ──── Hero ──── */}

  <Spacer height={50} />
  {"Write, organize, and search your notes — all offline"}
  
    TagSpaces can be used as a local-first note-taking tool — with Markdown, HTML, and plain text editing, built-in tagging, and full-text search. No account, no cloud, no subscription.
  
  
    <Link className="button button--primary button--lg" to="/products/">{"Start taking notes"}</Link>
    <Link className="button button--outline button--primary button--lg" to="/demo/">{"Try the live demo"}</Link>
  
  
    {"Free & open source · Works offline · Your notes are just files"}
  

{/* ──── Hero video ──── */}

  <CenteredVideo
    src="/content/extensions/md-editor-demo.mp4"
    posterUrl="/content/extensions/md-editor-demo-poster.avif"
    maxWidth={900}
    controls={true}
    autoPlay={true}
    showCaption={false}
  />

<Spacer height={60} />

{/* ──── Why TagSpaces for notes ──── */}

  {"Why TagSpaces for note-taking?"}
  <Spacer height={20} />
  <CardGrid items={[
    { title: "Your notes are just files", text: "Markdown, HTML, or plain text — stored in regular folders on your device. Open them in any editor, back them up however you want." },
    { title: "Tag instead of folders", text: "Add color-coded tags to any note. One note can belong to multiple topics. Filter, group, and search by tags instantly." },
    { title: "Works 100% offline", text: "No internet needed. No account. No sync issues. Your notes are always accessible, even on a plane." },
    { title: "Rich Markdown editing", text: "WYSIWYG editor with tables, checklists, math expressions, Mermaid diagrams, and frontmatter support." },
    { title: "AI-powered notes", text: "Chat with local AI about your notes via Ollama. Summarize, expand, translate, or brainstorm — fully offline and private." },
    { title: "Sync your way", text: "Use Dropbox, Google Drive, Syncthing, or any sync service. Or connect to S3 storage for team access." },
  ]} />

<Spacer height={60} />

{/* ──── Use cases ──── */}

  {"What people use it for"}
  <Spacer height={20} />
  <CardGrid colSize={4} items={[
    { title: "Personal journals & to-dos", text: "Daily reflections, checklists, project logs — with embedded images and media." },
    { title: "Academic & research notes", text: "Tag and categorize PDF articles, lecture transcripts, and references alongside your notes." },
    { title: "Project documentation", text: "Modular, structured docs for development, marketing, or operations teams." },
    { title: "Content drafting", text: "Draft Markdown articles with live preview — ready for export to blogs or CMS." },
    { title: "Creative writing", text: "Capture ideas with full styling, checklists, and rich-media inclusion." },
    { title: "Field notes & reports", text: "Add geo-tags and media on research trips or real-world projects." },
  ]} />

<Spacer height={60} />

{/* ──── Feature blocks ──── */}

  {"Key capabilities"}
  <RenderFeatures features={noteFeatures} />

<Spacer height={60} />

{/* ──── Portability message ──── */}

  {"Your notes, your format, your choice"}
  
    TagSpaces stores notes as standard files — Markdown, HTML, or plain text. They work with any editor, any sync service, and any operating system. No proprietary database, no export needed, no vendor lock-in.
  
  
    TagSpaces works alongside other note-taking tools. If you use Obsidian, Joplin, or any Markdown-based app — TagSpaces reads the same files from the same folders.
  

<Spacer height={60} />

{/* ──── Live demo ──── */}

  {"Try it now"}
  
    Double-click on a note below or click the {"EDIT"} button to try the WYSIWYG Markdown editor.
  
  <Demo
    hideIntro
    width="100%"
    height="800px"
    url="https://demo.tagspaces.com/int.html?tslid=10ades09-c7fd-zt33-fc67-a75db43rt4gz&tsdpath=demo%2FNote-Taking&tsepath=demo%2FNote-Taking%2Fcomplex-markdown-note.md"
    title="Demo showcasing the note-taking capabilities of TagSpaces"
  />

<Spacer height={60} />

{/* ──── Comparison (collapsed) ──── */}

  <details style={{ border: "1px solid var(--ifm-color-emphasis-200)", borderRadius: 10, padding: "16px 20px" }}>
    <summary style={{ cursor: "pointer", fontWeight: 600, fontSize: "1.1rem", listStyle: "none" }}>
      {"How TagSpaces compares to other note-taking apps ▸"}
    </summary>
    <Spacer height={16} />
    
      TagSpaces stores notes as standard files on your device — no cloud, no vendor lock-in. Sync with any service you choose or work fully offline.
    

| Feature | TagSpaces | Evernote | Obsidian | Notion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storage | Local-first / offline (optional S3) | Cloud-based | Local-first | Cloud-only |
| Privacy | No tracking, no account | Tracking & telemetry | Some plugins track | Cloud + analytics |
| Account required | No | Yes | Optional | Yes |
| Offline access | Full | Limited in free plan | Full | Desktop only |
| File format | Markdown / HTML / TXT | Proprietary | Markdown | Proprietary |
| Tagging | Tag-centric design | Limited | Plugin-based | Basic |
| Kanban boards | Built-in (Pro) | No | Plugin needed | Built-in |
| Map & geo-tagging | Built-in (Pro) | No | No | No |
| PDF & eBook viewing | Built-in | Viewer only | Plugin required | Limited |
| AI integration | Local Ollama (free) | Cloud AI (paid) | Plugin-based | Cloud AI (paid) |
| Price | Free / one-time / subscription | Subscription | Free + optional paid | Subscription |

  </details>

<Spacer height={60} />

{/* ──── Bottom CTA ──── */}

  {"Ready to own your notes?"}
  <Spacer height={10} />
  <Link className="button button--primary button--lg" to="/products/">{"Get TagSpaces"}</Link>
  
    <Link to="/products/pro/">{"Explore Pro features"}</Link>
    {" · "}
    <Link to="/second-brain/">{"Build a second brain"}</Link>
    {" · "}
    <Link to="/blog/tagspaces-vs-evernote-notion-joplin-obsidian/">{"Full comparison article"}</Link>
  

<Spacer height={80} />