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markdown-sticky-notes

Open source MIT Swift
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Note Taking

About markdown-sticky-notes

Markdown Sticky notes for macOS

Platforms

Web Self-hosted macOS iOS

Languages

Swift

Links

Source Code
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Published by
jaesuny
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README.md

View on GitHub

MD Sticky Notes

A native macOS sticky note app with Obsidian-style markdown live preview, built with Swift and CodeMirror 6.

macOS 12+ Swift 5.9+

Features

Markdown Editor

  • Live Preview: Obsidian-style WYSIWYG editing with instant rendering
  • GFM Support: Tables, strikethrough, task lists, and more
  • Syntax Highlighting: 15+ programming languages in code blocks
  • Math Rendering: KaTeX support for inline ($...$) and block ($$...$$) equations

Sticky Note Experience

  • Floating Windows: Always visible while you work
  • Pin on Top: Keep important notes above all windows (Cmd+Shift+P)
  • Multiple Colors: Yellow, pink, blue, green, purple, orange
  • Adjustable Opacity: Transparency slider for each note
  • Auto-Save: Never lose your notes

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
Cmd+N New note
Cmd+Shift+P Pin on top
Cmd+B / I / K Bold / Italic / Link
Cmd+F Find in note
Cmd+Shift+F Find and replace
Cmd+` Cycle through notes

Installation

Homebrew (Recommended)

brew tap jaesuny/tap
brew install --cask md-sticky-notes

Manual Download

If you don't use Homebrew, you can download the DMG directly. Note that manual installation requires extra steps to bypass macOS Gatekeeper.

  1. Download MDStickyNotes.dmg
  2. Open the DMG and drag the app to Applications
  3. First launch — macOS will block the app since it is not notarized. To allow it:
    1. Double-click the app — macOS will show a warning and block it
    2. Open System Settings (시스템 설정)
    3. Go to Privacy & Security (개인정보 보호 및 보안)
    4. Scroll down to find the message about "StickyNotes" being blocked
    5. Click "Open Anyway" (확인 없이 열기)
    6. Click "Open" (열기) in the confirmation dialog
    7. After the first launch, you can open it normally

Disclaimer: This app is not notarized by Apple. By downloading and running this app, you acknowledge that you do so at your own risk. The developer assumes no liability for any issues that may arise from its use.

Build from Source

# Prerequisites: macOS 12+, Swift 5.9+, Node.js 18+

# Clone and build
git clone https://github.com/jaesuny/markdown-sticky-notes.git
cd markdown-sticky-notes
cd editor-web && npm install && cd ..
./build-app.sh

# Run
open build/StickyNotes.app

Demo

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c3dce235-9c50-4cee-832d-267e0e5f8024

Screenshots

MD Sticky Notes

Technical Details

Architecture

  • Swift/SwiftUI: Native macOS app shell with NSPanel windows
  • WKWebView + CodeMirror 6: High-performance markdown editor
  • KaTeX: Fast LaTeX math rendering
  • Hybrid Approach: Native performance with battle-tested web editor

Why Hybrid?

  • Pure native markdown editors require months of TextKit work
  • Electron is too resource-heavy
  • WKWebView is built into macOS with zero external dependencies
  • CodeMirror 6 is the most advanced web editor available

Development

# Full rebuild (Swift + JS)
./build-app.sh && open build/StickyNotes.app

# JS-only fast iteration
cd editor-web && npm run build && \
  cp dist/editor.bundle.js ../build/StickyNotes.app/Contents/Resources/Editor/ && \
  open ../build/StickyNotes.app

License

MIT

Credits