When you arrive self-hostingnote taking software is the most favorite type of software to explore. I appreciate the different approaches developers take to their solutions, especially when it comes to services that prioritize simplicity.
Finding capable yet elegant note-taking apps helped me break away from Google Keep. However, I still struggle with my notes being messy and disorganized. Fortunately, I discovered a program that maintains an easy user interface along with the organizational features I need – Poznote.
What is Poznote?
Simple record keeping with easy organization
Poznote is a notes and to-do list app with a lightweight approach. Getting started with the app is pretty easy, and you can choose between Markdown and rich text annotations. I prefer rich text notes, so having this flexibility is great.
When editing a note, you can apply different formatting or select from a list of commands using the line icon ( / ) key. This includes code blocks, quotes, checkboxes, etc. including inclusion. As for lists, you can create bulleted and numbered lists, as well as checklists.
While you can create checklists within notes, you can also create a task list—essentially a note of tasks that you can only check off and tick off. You can also add a task to your favorites to keep it at the top of the list. This has been helpful for my list of story ideas because it allows me to highlight the tasks I’m currently working on.
You can use folders to easily sort your notes in terms of organizational features. Tags allow you to further filter these records. You can also add favorite notes that appear at the top of the taskbar, as well as shortcuts to specific notes.
The program also supports a Kanban view of certain folders. This works well for folders containing task lists. For example, I created a folder for projects and articles. I then created columns showing my progress on the tasks, each entry consisting of sub-tasks that I needed to complete. This is a great way to organize certain notes because you can get an overview of what you need to do, but also open notes for more details and attachments.
How to set up Poznote
The process is relatively easy
Getting started with Poznote doesn’t take much effort, as the documentation includes the steps you need to take. It is one of them self-hosted apps that beginners should tryIf they want to get familiar with using Docker Compose.
Since I self-deployed the app on Windows using Docker Desktop, I manually created the folder for Poznote and added the .env and docker-compose.yml sample. documents. I changed the POZNOTE_SETTINGS_PASSWORD field to include a password in the .env file. However, this can be left blank.
Then I opened my terminal in the folder and started it docker compose up -d command. After the container started, I logged in with my default admin credentials. After logging in, you can use the admin panel to change the admin username and set a new password. As there is no option to reset your password, I recommend saving your new password in a password manager.
After that, you can start creating notes, folders and tags.
Poznote offers convenience as well as ease
My favorite ingredients for a fertility program
When it comes to productivity software, I can get overwhelmed when there are too many features and UI elements. That’s why I like Poznote’s focused approach.
At the same time, I like some flexibility so that I can use a service in the way that suits me best. This is where Poznote’s adaptability comes in handy. I can use as many or as few folders and tags as I want. The drag and drop interface also makes it easy to organize my uncategorized notes.
While some people prefer Markdown notes, I appreciate the ability to use rich text formatting instead. Meanwhile, I can choose when to use the Kanban view and when to reject the feature altogether. My notes adapt to my needs rather than being stuck in a certain format or look.
One thing I would like to see is a customizable home view, as the app currently opens on my most recent note.
I can’t wait to see where Poznote goes next
Poznote shows a lot of promise as an open-source, self-hosted note-taking application. An alternative to Google Keep and Google Docs. So far, the app has avoided the clutter problem I’ve had when using other recording apps. However, time will tell if it will suit my scattered approach to note-taking. However, I’m impressed with the tool and I’m excited to see where it goes next.
