I Ditched Google Keep for This Self-Hosted Note-Taking App

Google’s Cloud applications suite, including Google Keep, is extremely practical. However, if you appreciate confidentiality and the possibility of personalizing your experience, there is a better option.

Goodbye, Google Keep

Google Keep has been my writing and note note application for years, but its limited features, combined with my desire to take more control over my data, led me to look elsewhere.

I had a basic list of the features I wanted:

• Markdown care

• Support for the integration of photos, videos and files

• Support for Windows, Linux and Android

• Synchronization of self-hosted clouds

• Light

• He should take care of the extensions

Finally, I reduced my selection to Joplin, although Trillium and the Obsidian are both excellent options that you should consider.

Joplin all the features I might want

Joplin literally checks all the boxes I wanted, and it works on all the devices that interest me.

Good brand support and allows me to join files

Google Keep supports formatting, but the use of formatting options forces you to use shortcuts to activate or deactivate them. On the other hand, Joplin takes care of the appropriate brand, which makes the creation and publishing of formatting very easy.

In addition, as I am self-hosted, I can attach so many huge files as I wish.

It supports extensions

Google Keep is really “what you see is what you get”. There is really no way to add features to the program beyond what is natively.

Joplin, on the other hand, has a healthy range of available extensions. And if you are not available, you can write yours in JavaScript if you are so inclined.

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Flexibility and extensibility make it much more powerful than Google only keeps it if you wish, but so far, I have kept the plugins at least, because I want something light.

Joplin has several self-hosting options

Depending on the amount you want to face Joplin allows you to approach your notes on the Internet in different ways.

Use regular cloud storage

The easiest way to make things work between several devices is to use a third -party cloud storage solution, such as OneDrive or Dropbox.

Since Joplin uses end -to -end encryption to secure its files, accommodation of your ratings on a third -party cloud service only presents a minimum security risk – files are only readable once you decipher them.

It was the first thing I tried with Joplin, and I found that it worked without major problems. However, a large part of the start of this project was to move away from large technological companies as much as possible.

Use Joplin Cloud

Joplin offers its own paid Cloud service with a few different levels that vary from around $ 2.80 to $ 7.80 per month if you pay each year.

The most expensive levels are delivered with better collaboration tools, which allow you to share and modify your notes with others in a transparent manner. The most expensive plans also offer more cloud storage and maximum maximum size.

If I needed to collaborate frequently with others using Joplin, the pro plan would probably be attractive.

However, I just need a basic score application, so I will self-heberge it instead.

Self-hoping your own Joplin server

Joplin also allows you to host your own server on your own equipment if you wish, which allows you all the more independence as possible.

It’s a little more involved to work. There are three main pieces:

1. You must host the server.

2. You need a kind of database to contain your notes.

3. You must make your server accessible from the Internet in one way or another.

Fortunately, you can use Docker and Docker composes to create the server and the database. Docker Hub hosts all the files you need and go through the details, but most of what you need to do is define the passwords you use to access the database.

Once the server is running, you must make it accessible from the Internet. As a rule, you will be advised to use a reverse proxy for this. However, in this situation, I think it is not necessary, especially if it is the only thing you host.

Instead, I would recommend running a light VPN, which allows you to connect to your domestic network anywhere in the world and access to devices on your local network as if you were sitting next to them.

Since the Joplin server will, by default, accessible to the devices of your local network, you can use a VPN to connect without exposing something else to the Internet.

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I like Wireguard for this because it is very easy on system resources, but you can use OpenVPN instead. Both are secure and largely supported.

I hosted my Wireguard server on a Raspberry Pi 4, which is the same device that I use to host the Joplin server.

With Wireguard and Joplin configured, every time I want to synchronize my notes between my devices, all I have to do is quickly connect to my domestic network. As a bonus, I can also access a few other things on my local network, like my NAS.