
Laverna
Laverna is a JavaScript note taking application with Markdown editor and encryption support. Consider it like open source alternative to https://alternativeto.net/softwa...
- Free • Open Source
- Note-taking Tool
- Todo List Manager
- Task Management Tool
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Self-Hosted
- RemoteStorage
What is Laverna?
Laverna is a JavaScript note-taking web application with a Markdown editor and encryption support. It's built to be an open source alternative to
Evernote.
The application stores all your notes in your browser databases such as indexedDB or localStorage, which is good for security reasons, because only you have access to them.
Features
- Markdown editor based on Pagedown
- Manage your notes, even when you're offline
- Secure client-side encryption
- Synchronizes with cloud storage services (currently only with
Dropbox and
remoteStorage)
- Three editing modes: distraction free, preview, and normal mode
- WYSIWYG control buttons
MathJax support
- Syntax highlighting
- No registration required
- Web based
- Keybindings
Tools
On the front-end this project uses JavaScript and the Marionette JS framework while
Node.js,
Bower, and
Gulp.js are used on the back-end. The test runner used is
Karma however, contributors are free to utilize whatever testing tools they desire.
The project is dead: the developer had issues with synchronization and multiple devices, so he decided to focus on other projects. Some users on GitHub forked the project and created a new app named Encryptic.
Laverna Screenshots





Laverna Features
Laverna information
Supported Languages
- English
GitHub repository
- 8,992 Stars
- 843 Forks
- 446 Open Issues
- Updated
Comments and Reviews
Tags
- Todo List Manager
- encrypted-text
- Note-taking
- Task Management
- Journaling
- organizer
- Markdown Editor
- desktop-client
- text-encryption
- strong-encryption
Category
Office & ProductivityLists containing Laverna
Recently discontinued apps • Favorites • Text • Productivity - Note Taking and Notepad (Top 20)Recent user activities on Laverna
SingularAnomaly Upvoted a comment on Standard Notes as an alternative to Laverna
Standard notes is encrypyted, and synced across all your devices, mobile or desktop, server can't see your notes, support is excellent.SingularAnomaly Downvoted a comment on Laverna
Laverna is notetaking software, but I'm looking for to-do list software.vivekweb2013 added Laverna as alternative(s) to GitNoter
Laverna aims to be an open-source, encrypted alternative to Evernote. Open source makes it more trustworthy than Evernote, because anyone can inspect the code.
Encryption makes it more private than Evernote. Evernote are a US-based company whose privacy policy recently caused a lot of controversy because they planned (then backtracked) on letting their employees read customers' data. Nothing prevents them from deciding to try that again in the future. Evernote might be functional, but they store your data unencrypted, which means that:
a) if hackers breach Evernote's servers (has happened before), all your personal data is out there in some hackers hands b) three letter agencies (NSA, FBI, etc.) are allowed legally to demand that Evernote hands your data over to them, and the law says Evernote might be prevented even from telling you that this has happened. c) you should ask yourself: even if none of the above happens, where will copies of my data be in 20 years time? In whose hands? On whose servers? What will the law be then? Will you want whoever will be then in power/controlling Evernote's servers to have access to all your receipts, notes, captured webpages, boarding cards and whatever else you put into Evernote?
Using encryption, as Laverna does, gets around problems like these. Even if hackers steal your data, the fact it's encrypted means they can't read it. Same for three letter agencies (if the encryption is done well, like via AES-256) and whoever might get your hands on the data in years to come.
So the question is now about Laverna's functionality. You can test Laverna online, here.
Good Stuff
Why it's not quite there yet
Alternatives? If you want an Evernote alternative for the following functions but mobile isn't important to you, consider TagSpaces:
Supports Markdown and is secure enough that I can use it at work. Everything I want (except a dark theme).
Proof-of-Concept
Of course, it's not Evernote killer app at the moment as it was declared. And no alternative for those who use Evernote to save parts of Web Pages.
Moreover, it's too buggy and unpredictable at the moment. Examples:
Personally, I think that such kind of application should have alternative markup options, to arrange and align content inside notes. For example, I use many technical illustrations. Yes, it's not good enough in Evernote too, but Laverna doesn't have something similar at all.
Summary:
It's good for use only if you are keeping pure text notes, and if an encryption via Dropbox is important for you. And also if you don't have hundreds of them because organizations could be difficult. Example: when you add a tag to the note, it creates tag entry in the notebooks list. But, if you change it there or even delete it, documents will NOT be affected. So you can't make changes in the entire database and lost connections between notes and tags easily. That's if you are looking for Evernote alternative which allows working freely, you should move on. At least 'til Laverna will not be fixed and improved as a minimum in those aspects which declared and should work.
[Edited by M_O_Z_G, October 21]
It is possible to search in notes on Windows app ?
Besides not having an icon it's build is light-weight the app works great has multiple translations and can do basic formatting. While also being OpenSource and taking a more grown approach to synchronizing using multiple sources for selection while also not requiring a login which can also be run on a local-network use only.
Laverna is notetaking software, but I'm looking for to-do list software.
Made me lose all my notes when trying to sync with dropbox. Just horrible.