Set

Set is an open-source, offline note-taking app that gives Markdown files a polished block editor without turning them into records in somebody else's cloud. Each page is stored as a plain Markdown file inside a folder the user chooses. The desktop app watches that folder, so edits made with another editor can appear back in Set, and the notes remain readable even if the app is no longer installed. It's aimed at people who like the approachable editing style of workspace tools but want a simpler, single-person writing environment and direct ownership of the underlying files.

The editor handles headings, lists, to-dos, toggles, quotes, code blocks, tables, images, and links. A slash command menu and Markdown shortcuts keep common blocks close without forcing the writer to work directly in raw syntax. Pages sit in a nested sidebar tree and can be reordered with drag and drop. Set also has contexts, which are separate top-level folders with their own page trees, making it possible to split work, personal notes, or individual projects without putting everything in one long hierarchy. A quick switcher searches both titles and note content, while page locking and a restorable trash add a little protection around everyday editing. Light and dark themes, accent colors, font choices, and rebindable shortcuts let the workspace adapt to a person's habits without changing how the files are stored.

Its most distinctive feature is direct device-to-device sync. Set doesn't require a cloud account or store the notes on a central Set server. Devices are paired, and the notes folder moves between them over an encrypted, authenticated connection. Sync happens when the user chooses Sync now, rather than continuously in the background. Before applying a round, Set shows a preview of the files that will be created, updated, moved, merged, or sent to trash. The user can decline that plan before anything changes. When separate edits touch different lines, the app attempts a three-way merge. When it can't safely resolve the same lines, it keeps a conflict copy instead of silently discarding one version. A deletion on one device sends the other copy to that device's trash, which makes the design conservative about losing work. Moves and renamed pages are tracked as the same page, so reorganizing a tree isn't treated as a wave of unrelated deletes and additions.

Set also includes a local MCP server that lets compatible agents search and read notes. This is useful for someone who wants an assistant to consult a personal knowledge folder while the source remains a collection of ordinary files. The integration is read-oriented rather than a promise that an agent can freely rewrite the notebook. Optional dictation uses an on-device speech engine in the desktop app, so spoken notes don't need a hosted transcription service. External file changes are picked up by the folder watcher, which also leaves room for version control, backup tools, command line searches, or another Markdown editor to work on the same collection. Together with local storage and peer sync, that makes Set appealing to writers, developers, researchers, and privacy-conscious users who want modern conveniences without making a web account the center of their notebook.

The app is intentionally narrower than a full team workspace. It doesn't present itself as a replacement for shared project databases, publishing systems, or a large plugin platform. The current desktop builds cover macOS, Windows, and Linux, and there is also a browser build for trying the editor. In the browser, notes belong to that browser session, while device sync and local dictation are desktop features. There isn't a dedicated mobile release listed. The product is also at a very early beta version, so people with irreplaceable notes should keep normal filesystem backups and test sync with a disposable folder before relying on it across several machines.

Set is free and released under the AGPL 3.0 license. Installers are published for the three desktop operating systems, and the source is available for people who want to inspect or build it. There is no paid plan or hosted subscription described. That access model fits the product's local-first premise, but it also means the young project doesn't yet come with the maturity, support structure, or ecosystem of established note apps. Set is most compelling when the requirements are plain Markdown ownership, a comfortable block editor, deliberate private sync, and a small set of focused organization tools.