Oddinote
Oddinote is a free, open-source infinite canvas workspace designed for creative people—including game developers, writers, and researchers—who need more than a single-screen note-taking tool. Users can create notes, boards, lists, columns, calendars, and resources on a canvas that supports recursive nesting. Double-clicking a board node opens a new canvas inside it, creating an unlimited tree of ideas without cluttering the main view. Oddinote is available as a web application and as a downloadable Windows desktop app. It is privacy-focused and offline-first: data is stored 100% locally, no account is needed, and users can export or import complete project states as JSON backups. The desktop version uses isolated local storage and provides automatic real-time saving as well as update notifications from GitHub. The project is released under the Apache License 2.0 and funded by optional Ko-fi donations. It has no ads, no subscriptions, and no locked features. With its nested canvases and simple visual organization, Oddinote positions itself as a community-driven alternative to commercial tools such as Milanote and Miro.
- Category
- ART
- Pricing
- Free
Problem solved
Traditional note-taking apps limit ideas to linear pages. Oddinote solves this with an infinitely nested canvas, letting users place notes, boards, tasks, calendars, and media in spatial, expandable sub-canvases—so complex creative projects remain organized without losing context.
Use cases
- Storyboarding and novel outlining for writers
- Game design documentation with nested boards
- Visual brainstorming and mood boards
- Thesis or literature research organization
- Project roadmaps with to-do tasks and calendars
- Collecting inspiration and reference assets
- Planning marketing campaigns or content calendars
Audience
- Designers
- Content Creators
- Researchers
- Hobbyists
- Developers
Pros
- 100% free with no subscription or ads
- Truly nested, recursive canvases for complex projects
- Privacy-focused: local, offline, no account
- Open source under Apache License 2.0
- JSON backup and import for portability
Cons
- Windows desktop only; no macOS/Linux installer
- No official mobile app
- No cloud sync; manual JSON export needed between devices
- Comparatively small community and fewer integrations
Official website: https://oddinote-web.vercel.app/
Canonical LambdaBase page: https://www.lambdabase.com/tools/oddinote