A private, encrypted note-taking app with Nostr sync.
Onyx lets you write markdown notes locally and sync them securely across devices using the Nostr protocol. Your notes are encrypted with your Nostr keys before being published to relays, ensuring only you can read them.
- Markdown Editor - Write notes with full markdown support and live preview
- Local-First - Your notes are stored locally as plain markdown files and work offline
- Nostr Sync - Encrypted sync across devices via Nostr relays
- Secure Storage - Private keys stored in your OS keyring (Keychain, libsecret, Credential Manager)
- Cross-Platform - Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Integrated AI Assistant - Context-aware chatbot for writing, editing, and research (`Ctrl+``)
- Skills System - Extensible capabilities including document creation, research, and more
- File Context - AI can read and understand your current note for better assistance
- Smart Suggestions - Get help with writing, formatting, and organizing your notes
- Daily Notes - Quickly create/open today's daily note with
Ctrl+D - Templates - Create notes from templates with
Ctrl+T - Slash Commands - Type
/to insert headings, lists, callouts, tables, and more - Properties Panel - Visual editor for YAML frontmatter (
Ctrl+Shift+P) - Outline Panel - Navigate document headings (
Ctrl+Shift+O) - Backlinks Panel - See which notes link to the current note (
Ctrl+Shift+B) - Link Unlinked Mentions - Convert text mentions to
[[wikilinks]]with one click
- Share with Nostr Users - Send encrypted documents to any Nostr user via npub, NIP-05, or hex pubkey
- Notifications Panel - See documents shared with you, with sender profiles and timestamps
- Import Shared Docs - Import received documents directly into your vault
- Revoke Shares - Remove shared documents you've sent to others
- Publish as Articles - Post markdown notes as NIP-23 long-form articles
- Draft Support - Publish as drafts (kind 30024) or published articles (kind 30023)
- Auto-generated Tags - Suggests hashtags based on document content
- End-to-End Encryption - All synced content encrypted with NIP-44
- Block Users - Block bad actors using NIP-51 mute lists
- Secure Previews - XSS protection and URL sanitization for shared content
- Private Mute Lists - Blocked users stored encrypted so only you can see them
- File Info Dialog - View local file details and Nostr sync status
- NIP-19 Addresses - See naddr identifiers for synced files
- Sharing Status - See who you've shared each file with
Download the latest release for your platform from the Releases page.
The app is not currently signed with an Apple Developer certificate, so macOS will show a warning that the app is "damaged" or from an "unidentified developer". To install:
Option 1: Remove quarantine attribute (recommended)
Open Terminal and run:
xattr -cr /Applications/Onyx.appIf you installed it elsewhere, replace /Applications/Onyx.app with the actual path.
Option 2: Right-click to open
- Right-click (or Control+click) on Onyx.app
- Select "Open" from the context menu
- Click "Open" in the security dialog
After doing this once, the app will open normally.
sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev libappindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev patchelf libsecret-1-dev libssl-dev libdbus-1-devxcode-select --installInstall Visual Studio Build Tools with "Desktop development with C++".
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/derekross/onyx.git
cd onyx
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Run in development mode
npm run tauri dev
# Build for production
npm run tauri build- Open Onyx and create or open a vault (folder for your notes)
- Create notes using the sidebar or
Ctrl+N - Write in markdown - your notes auto-save
- Go to Settings > Nostr
- Login with your nsec (private key) or generate new keys
- Go to Settings > Sync and enable sync
- Click Sync Now or use the sync icon in the status bar
Your notes are encrypted with NIP-44 before being published to relays. Only you can decrypt them with your private key.
- Right-click a file in the sidebar
- Select Nostr > Share with user...
- Enter recipient's npub, NIP-05 ([email protected]), or hex pubkey
- Click Share to send the encrypted document
The recipient will see it in their notifications panel and can import it to their vault.
If you receive unwanted shares, you can block users:
- Open the shared document preview
- Click Block in the footer
- Confirm to add them to your NIP-51 mute list
Blocked users can be managed in Settings > Nostr > Blocked Users.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Save | Ctrl+S |
| Quick Switcher | Ctrl+O |
| Search in Files | Ctrl+Shift+F |
| Toggle AI Assistant | `Ctrl+`` |
| Command Palette | Ctrl+K |
| Daily Note | Ctrl+D |
| Templates | Ctrl+T |
| Toggle Outline | Ctrl+Shift+O |
| Toggle Backlinks | Ctrl+Shift+B |
| Toggle Properties | Ctrl+Shift+P |
Type / at the start of a line or after a space to open the command menu:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/heading1 - /heading3 |
Insert headings |
/bullet |
Bulleted list |
/numbered |
Numbered list |
/todo |
Task/checkbox |
/quote |
Blockquote |
/code |
Code block |
/table |
Insert table |
/divider |
Horizontal rule |
/callout-info |
Info callout |
/callout-tip |
Tip callout |
/callout-warning |
Warning callout |
/date |
Today's date |
/time |
Current time |
/link |
Hyperlink |
/image |
Image |
/wikilink |
Wiki link [[]] |
/bold, /italic, /highlight |
Text formatting |
Onyx uses custom Nostr event kinds for encrypted file sync:
| Kind | Purpose | Encryption |
|---|---|---|
| 30800 | File content | NIP-44 (self) |
| 30801 | Vault index | NIP-44 (self) |
| 30802 | Shared documents | NIP-44 (recipient) |
| 30023 | Published articles | None (public) |
| 30024 | Draft articles | None (public) |
| 10000 | Mute list | NIP-44 (self, optional) |
All synced content is encrypted using NIP-44 with a conversation key derived from your own public/private key pair. This means only you can decrypt your notes, and relays only see encrypted blobs.
Shared documents are encrypted to the recipient's public key, so only they can decrypt them.
- Tauri 2.0 - Rust-based desktop framework
- SolidJS - Reactive UI framework
- CodeMirror 6 - Text editor
- nostr-tools - Nostr protocol library
MIT
Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request.