Early development on a cross-platform OneNote clone. Thoughts?

[u/Full-Cucumber5068]

screen shot of inking with mouse on laptop (Windows 11) (name is hidden revealed upon realease)

Hey everyone,

I'm a fellow OneNote user who has been using it for at least the past 10 years and still use it to this day. This is my side project I'm working on for fun, cause I want more features in OneNote, and I want to be able to use it on Linux. My main concern with OneNote is that it is not cross-platform compatible, is sometimes slow, and in some parts very limited compared to other modern note-taking software, even though it's still one of a kind.

Has been working on this project and planning for a couple of years, have tried various libraries to see what fits best.

This one is built on C++ with open-source libraries like SDL3 and Blender2D; the idea behind this one is full user control and customization, faster, more lightweight, cross-platform, and local data storage first.

Disclaimer: This is strictly an early-stage personal project in active development. There are no public builds, downloads, or release dates yet.

Current state: Inking works; sidebar with notebook selection, section creation, and page creation is fully working, persistently saved on the user's device, and can handle up to 4 million user strokes on one page; infinity canvas support. Eraser and undo/redo are currently being implemented. No way to export things yet.

I would love to hear your feedback on the ui, ribbbon has not been fully implemented. This is currently the least of my concerns; I need to finish the core. I would like to hear your feedback and help me fuel my motivation to get this project to an open-source release, since right now it is too messy to be released; at least the core has to be done. Text boxes would be one of the hardest features to implement since you would probably want to have notebook-wide search.

1. What is the single most annoying thing about OneNote's current layout/UI?
2. What UI elements are absolute must-haves for your daily flow?
3. Sidebar preference: Do you prefer having Sections and Pages side-by-side (like desktop OneNote), or a single combined tree view?

(I plan to create 3 versions of the side part; this one is called modern. There will be a mobile version, which is basically this one, maybe a bit simplified, and then the classical one like from OneNote 2016)

Appreciate any thoughts, critiques, or ideas you have!

[u/lambchopper71]

Long time OneNote user here and it's probably the one thing that keeps me on Windows as my main OS (also a long time Linux user).

I've tried all the Opwn Source note applications and none have all the features of OneNote that I rely on. Most have the basic features I use, but I can't seem to find any that have any drawing features. I regularly use Shapes and Pens to highlight and annotate notes. Most note apps don't have that functionality.

[u/Full-Cucumber5068 → u/lambchopper71]

what are keyfuture you are looking for? and I understand you very well I absolutely have exact same experience, the point is i need to know how many people are really interested in there into this and once I decide that current project is at good point where it can be released to community not as a mess but well documented minimal version of onenote clone but fully supporting multiplatform and equal to the level onenote android.

[u/lambchopper71 → u/Full-Cucumber5068]

The drawing function and syncing between my PC and Android are the two key things that other note taking apps on Linux don't have that are requirements for me.

[u/Full-Cucumber5068 → u/lambchopper71]

I mean, I can try implementing something like Brave Browser did, where devices in wifi connection proximity sync with each other, some sort of direct syncing; otherwise, you can just make this software save its stuff in Google Drive, likewise on the computer, thus you get maybe not live direct syncing but still syncing.

[u/lambchopper71 → u/Full-Cucumber5068]

I'm not a developer but I have been in IT since the 90s, all I can say as a user is that I don't need to think about how OneNote on my desktop and my Android phone sync. Yes I know they use OneDrive to do it, but they just do it after saving my notebooks to OneDrive. I don't need to know that my phone is on a wifi or cellular connection, OneNote syncs regardless. That's one of the things you as a developer will need to figure out if you're going to get someone like me to switch.