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For a long time, Evernote was my default note-taking app. But a free alternative has displaced it: Joplin, an open-source cross-platform app. Here are the reasons it’s revolutionized my workflow.
The Free Version of Joplin Is Actually Useful
Joplin is free and open-source. You can download it and sync your notes for free, depending on which method you use to do so (more on that later).
Joplin Is Cross-Platform
Another thing I like is that Joplin is cross-platform. In my line of work, I often move among different devices. Joplin has clients for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.I can even use it on my Chromebookvia the Android app.
This means I can keep track of my work, including my research for articles, across any device.
Joplin is also cross-platform because it uses a standard file format. You format your notes usingMarkdown, a simple language for marking up text. Markdown is used in lots of other places like content management systems, so if you already know it, you can jump in and update your notes in any editor. Joplin includes its own visual editor that is similar toa WYSIWYG word processor.
Joplin Helps Me Keep Track of My Work
I rely on Joplin to create to-do lists every day. There’s something satisfying about putting an item on my to-do list and crossing it off when I finally complete it.
I also use Joplin’s browser plugin to bookmark web pages. It works much like Evernote’s web clipper: you click a button that saves the current web page to a notebook. You can save the entire page or just a bookmark to it. This is a handy tool for researching articles.
I Can Sync My Notes
One feature that I appreciated on Evernote, which makes Joplin indispensable to me, is the ability to sync my notes across different devices.
Fortunately, Joplin works with other file-syncing services, including Dropbox. One annoying thing about using Dropbox is that it continually notifies me when Joplin is modifying the files it uses to sync. But it’s easy to disable these notifications in Dropbox temporarily.
I Can Customize Joplin
Another thing I like about Joplin is its customizability. It might not be surprising that an open-source app can be extended, but it’s really easy to add extra functionality. You can add everything from to-do lists to theming, in just a few clicks, usingJoplin plugins.
One plugin I like isMath Mode. I can use Joplin as a calculator with this plugin by prefacing any calculation with an “=” (equal) sign.
Joplin has a list of plugins on its website, with a crown icon marking “recommended” plugins.
The most popular plugin, and another one I really like, isRich Markdown. This makes it easier to use the graphical editor by doing things like displaying images inline. By default, Joplin shows the Markdown editor and a preview window side-by-side. With this plugin, Joplin works more like other rich text editors.
