Local
Private Space
- A folder of .md files that you choose
- Works offline, with no account
- Search and links use an index on your computer
- Nothing is uploaded unless you move it
Open source · Notes stay Markdown files
Meet Thoth
Write in a Private Space that is a folder of Markdown files on your computer. When you want to work with others, share chosen pages through a workspace on a server you pick.
The desktop app arrives with the first release.
The web version runs on a free demo server with limits. Accounts unused for 90 days are deleted, and the demo may be reset, so keep anything important in your Private Space.
See Thoth at work
A short tour of the desktop app: writing in Blocks and Plain, importing notes from Notion, and sharing a page through a workspace. It has music and no voice; captions describe each scene.
What the video shows
- A Private Space opens: an ordinary folder of Markdown files on the computer.
- A page is written in Blocks mode with the slash menu and a toggle, then the same page is shown in Plain mode as Markdown text.
- A Notion export is imported, and the import report lists what came across.
- A page is shared through a workspace. Someone else edits it at the same time, Thoth shows the conflict, and Keep both saves both versions.
- Closing title: Thoth is open source, and your notes stay yours.
What Thoth does
Thoth pairs a block editor like Notion's with plain Markdown files that you own. These are the parts that make it different.
-
Your notes are files
Your Private Space is a folder of Markdown files on your computer. It works offline, needs no account, and stays readable in any text editor, even if you stop using Thoth.
-
Blocks and Plain, one file
Write with blocks, a slash menu and toggles, or switch to Plain to edit the Markdown itself with a live preview. Both edit the same file, and switching never rewrites text you did not touch.
-
Bring Notion and Obsidian notes
Import a Notion export or an Obsidian vault. Links are kept, and a report lists anything that could not come across, such as Notion formulas and views.
-
Shared workspaces
Copy or move pages into a workspace to work with others. Members are owners, editors or viewers, and earlier versions of each page are kept.
-
No silent overwrites
Thoth saves only if the page is still the version you opened. If someone or another app changed it, you choose: keep mine, keep theirs, or keep both.
-
An open protocol
Clients and servers talk over a documented REST API with an OpenAPI description and a conformance suite, so anyone can build another server or client.
-
Run your own server
The server that runs the demo is the same one you can host: Node.js and PostgreSQL in a container, started with Podman or Docker Compose.
Private Space and Workspaces
Thoth has two kinds of places. Your Private Space lives on your computer as Markdown files and never leaves it on its own. A Workspace lives on a Thoth server and is shared with the people you invite. Pages move between them only when you copy or move them.
Workspace
Workspace
- Stored on a Thoth server: the demo server or your own
- Members with owner, editor or viewer roles
- Page history and a conflict check on every save
- Open it in the desktop app or, on the demo server, in your browser
From private note to shared page
Write privately
Start in your Private Space. No sign-in, no network.
Connect a server
Add the demo server or your own in Settings → Servers, and sign in with Google or GitHub.
Share what you choose
Copy or move a page into a workspace. Thoth shows where it goes and who can see it before anything leaves your computer.
The web version opens workspaces on the demo server only. Your Private Space needs the desktop app, because a browser cannot keep a folder of files on your computer.
Host your own server Coming soon
You will be able to run the Thoth server yourself. The code goes public on GitHub after the first release.
It is the same server that runs the demo, without the demo's limits: Node.js 24 and PostgreSQL, packaged as a container image with a Compose file. Sign-in works with Google, GitHub or any OpenID Connect provider, such as Keycloak or Authentik.
What you will need
- A machine that runs Podman or Docker
- PostgreSQL 14 or newer (the Compose file includes one)
- A domain with HTTPS, through a reverse proxy
- A sign-in provider, or personal access tokens for a one-person server
Questions and answers
Short answers to the questions people ask first.
What is Thoth?
Thoth is an open-source note-taking app that stores your notes as Markdown files on your computer. You can share chosen pages with other people through a workspace on a Thoth server.
Is Thoth free?
Yes. Thoth is open source under the Apache-2.0 license, and the app and the server cost nothing. The demo server is free too, with limits.
Does Thoth work offline?
Yes. The Private Space needs no network and no account. Only workspaces need a connection to their server.
Where are my notes stored?
Private Space notes are Markdown files in a folder you pick, plus a small .thoth folder for the search index and import records. Workspace pages are stored on the server that hosts the workspace.
Can I import from Notion or Obsidian?
Yes. Thoth imports a Notion "Markdown & CSV" export and an Obsidian vault, as a folder or a ZIP. Notion databases arrive as CSV files plus one page per row; formulas, relations and views do not, and the import report lists what was left out.
What is the difference between Blocks and Plain?
Blocks is a block editor with a slash menu, drag handles and toggles. Plain edits the Markdown text directly, with a live preview. Both open the same file, and you can switch a page with Ctrl+Shift+E (Cmd+Shift+E on a Mac).
What can the web version do?
The web version opens your workspaces on the Thoth demo server: browse, edit in both modes, search and resolve conflicts. It cannot open your Private Space, which needs the desktop app.
What are the demo server's limits?
Each account can own 1 workspace with up to 10 members, 200 pages and 20 MB of attachments. Accounts unused for 90 days are deleted, and the demo may be reset, so keep anything important in your Private Space.
Can I host my own server?
Yes, once the code is public on GitHub after the first release. The server runs in a container with PostgreSQL, using Podman or Docker Compose.
Does Thoth track me?
The desktop app sends nothing unless you connect it to a server. This website uses Google Analytics only if you accept, and the web version sends anonymous usage events only, never page content, titles or names.