What is note.md?

note.md is a macOS app that combines a PDF reader, a reference manager, a markdown note editor and a writing environment in a single window. It stores everything as plain markdown files on your Mac, and its AI features run on-device instead of in the cloud. It is designed for academic research workflows, allowing users to read papers, cite sources, and write theses in one place.

How to use note.md?

Download the app from the website and install it on your Mac. Drop in your PDFs to build a library, read and annotate them in the Reading Studio, take linked markdown notes, and insert citations directly from PDF metadata. Use the graph view to see connections and leverage local AI features like semantic search and automatic indexing (Premium) to organize your research.

Core features of note.md

Reading Studio: side-by-side PDF reading and highlighting
Smart Citations: automatic BibTeX/APA citation generation from PDF metadata
Knowledge Management: import scientific papers, fill metadata, export .bib files
Graph View: visualize connections between notes and sources with Neo4j export
Semantic Search (Premium): search by meaning using local AI models
Automatic Indexing (Premium): extract figures, charts, and tables from PDFs
Local-first: all data stored as plain markdown files on your Mac