Xournal++

Xournal++ is a tool designed for taking notes and annotating documents. It supports digital pens and graphics tablets, letting you write and draw naturally. The program includes advanced features for organizing and customizing your work.

★★★★★

5.0(1 ratings)

• Customizable interface. The Xournal++ interface can be adjusted to your preferences. You can change the toolbar layout, keyboard shortcuts, and color schemes. This flexibility makes it easy to adapt to different workflows.
• PDF support. Import PDF files and annotate them directly. Your annotations are saved in an editable format without altering the original document, which is handy for reviewing academic or professional papers.
• Drawing tools. Includes options such as pen, highlighter, geometric shapes, and rulers. Each tool has settings for thickness, color, and transparency, giving you precision when creating outlines or diagrams.
• Pen pressure support. Detects the pressure applied on graphics tablets and varies stroke thickness according to intensity. This feature is essential for drawing or writing in a natural style.
• Layers. Organize content into independent layers, similar to graphic design programs. This lets you edit elements without affecting other parts of the document.
• Multi-format export. Projects can be saved as PDF, PNG, SVG, or in the native .xopp format. This makes it easy to share your work across different platforms.
• Typed text. In addition to freehand drawing, you can insert text with customizable fonts. Useful for combining handwritten notes with formal text.
• Zoom and scrolling. Zoom controls let you work on small details, and smooth scrolling helps you navigate long documents.
• Linux, Windows, and macOS compatibility. Runs on all major operating systems with the same features on every platform.
• LaTeX tool. Insert mathematical equations using LaTeX code, ideal for technical and academic users.
• Audio recording. Record audio while taking notes and link it to your handwriting, useful in lectures or meetings.
• Touchscreen support. Optimized for touchscreen devices, recognizing gestures such as scrolling and pinch-to-zoom.

Xournal++ began as a fork of the Xournal project in 2017. The developers aimed to improve performance and add modern features. The program is written in C++ and uses GTK for the graphical interface. It is maintained by a community of contributors and is updated regularly with new features and bug fixes.

Alternatives to Xournal++:

For Xournal++ there are 3 alternative programs. Free: 3, paid: 0.

Inkodo

Inkodo is a Windows app for handwritten note taking, PDF annotation, photo markup, document creation, and sketch journaling.

Price: Free   Size: 61.3 MB   Version: 3.12.20.0   OS: Windows

Binderus

Desktop application for managing notes that combines WYSIWYG visual editing, complete Markdown support, and local storage in plain text files.

Price: Free   Size: 9 MB   Version: 0.5.2   OS: Windows, Linux, MacOS

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.

Price: Free   Size: 48.2 MB   Version: 1.2.3   OS: Windows, Linux, MacOS