SpeedyNote

SpeedyNote is an open-source note-taking application, written in native C++ and Qt, specifically designed for stylus users who require high-quality input and annotation performance on low-cost hardware. It provides a 360 Hz stylus polling rate on processors like the Intel Celeron N4000, allows annotation of PDF files with pressure-sensitive ink tools rendered as vector strokes, and offers organization modes such as paginated notebooks or borderless canvases with lazy loading, all with an interface optimized for tablets and touch.

★★★★★

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• 360 Hz stylus polling. The application captures the stylus position at a rate of 360 times per second, even on modest hardware like a 1.1 GHz Intel Celeron N4000. This translates to minimal latency and an extremely smooth and responsive stroke, eliminating the lag that hinders precise writing or drawing.
• PDF annotation with vector tracing. It allows you to open and annotate large PDF files instantly. Annotations made with pen, marker, or highlighter tools are vector strokes, meaning they do not lose definition and remain sharp without pixelation when applying infinite zoom.
• Multi-layer editing in the style of SAI2. It offers a layer management system that allows you to independently add, delete, reorder, and merge layers. This functionality, similar to that of professional illustration applications like PaintTool SAI2, makes it possible to organize note elements separately and edit them without affecting the rest of the drawing or text.
• Two document modes: notebook and infinite canvas. It provides two working modes: notebook mode, which organizes content into numbered pages (.snb format), and borderless canvas mode, which offers a virtually infinite workspace where notes expand without limits, ideal for brainstorming or concept maps.
• Ink tools with pressure sensitivity. It incorporates a set of drawing and writing tools including a pen, marker, and highlighter. These tools are fully sensitive to stylus pressure, allowing you to vary the thickness or opacity of the stroke based on the force applied, mimicking the behavior of real drawing instruments.
• Touch navigation and palm rejection. The interface is optimized for use on tablets, with support for standard touch gestures like two-finger scrolling and pinch-to-zoom. It includes a palm rejection system that prevents resting your hand while writing from creating accidental strokes or interfering with navigation.
• .snbx note packages for sharing. Notebooks and annotations can be packaged into files with the .snbx extension. This format facilitates the reliable exchange of complete note sets between different devices and operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android), maintaining the structure and internal links.
• Page panel with thumbnails and PDF outline. It integrates a side panel displaying document page thumbnails, allowing visual navigation and drag-and-drop reordering. For PDF files with an index structure, the outline panel offers direct access to chapters or sections via clickable links.
• Contextual toolbar and subtoolbar. The main interface consists of a toolbar whose options change according to the work context. Additionally, a secondary bar (subtoolbar) provides immediate access to the specific settings of the active tool, such as thickness, color, or nib shape, optimizing workflow.
• Linked objects and Markdown support. It allows inserting special objects that act as links, capable of pointing to a specific location within the note, an external Markdown file, or a URL. Markdown support makes it possible to attach rich text notes with simple formatting to notebooks or canvases.
• Batch export from the command line. It includes a powerful command-line interface (CLI) that allows automating tasks such as the mass export of pages or entire notebooks to image or PDF formats, facilitating the integration of the program into advanced workflows or scripts.
• Continuous auto-save and tabbed editing. The application automatically saves work progress constantly, eliminating the risk of losing information in the event of an unexpected shutdown. Additionally, it supports tabbed editing, allowing multiple documents to be open simultaneously for working on them alternately.

The history of SpeedyNote begins as a direct solution to the performance limitations observed in other open-source note-taking applications like Xournal++, which slowed down their response as the number of pages increased. A developer, motivated by the need for smooth annotation software on affordable hardware, started the project to demonstrate that it was possible to achieve a 360 Hz input performance even on low-power processors like the Intel Celeron N4000. Development has been carried out primarily in native C++ for its efficiency and control over hardware, and Qt (version 6) for the graphical interface, ensuring its cross-platform nature. The program has been in active development since at least 2024, with the support of the open-source community under the GPL v3 license, and has been tested on a wide variety of architectures, including x86_64, ARM64 (such as on Qualcomm Snapdragon and Rockchip processors), offering a unified experience on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

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