SHSelfHostIndex
ZE

Zettlr

Markdown editor for writers, researchers, and Zettelkasten users

Notes & Knowledge Base ★ 13.4k stars Easy setup GPL-3.0

Zettlr is a desktop Markdown editor designed for academic writing and Zettelkasten note management, with citation support and internal linking. While desktop-first, it works on plain Markdown folders that can sync between machines.

Official siteSource code

Key features

  • Zettelkasten linking
  • Citation manager support
  • Multi-format export
  • Folder-based projects

Pros & cons

Strengths

  • Strong academic features
  • Plain Markdown files

Trade-offs

  • Desktop only
  • No native sync server

Zettlr replaces

Self-hosted Notion alternativesSelf-hosted Obsidian alternatives

Compare Zettlr

42 head-to-head comparisons.

Similar notes & knowledge base apps