Introduction
In this post, find a list of some open source Productivity tools that I have used or tested in the past years. These include writing applications, Spreadsheets, and task Management programs. In December 2016, I published a post on “Comparison of Note taking Apps” here on Medium. Over the years, the number of note taking applications and tools has literally exploded. Keeping that in mind, I published a follow up post on my blog on the topic of Note Taking Apps. That post turned out to be rather comprehensive in nature- over 55 different applications and counting!
I had prepared a list of the below applications when I was researching for my second post. Instead of updating that post, I decided to publish this list as a separate post, for two reasons:
a. The below list is a mix of note taking apps and other productivity tools. Now some of the tools are not specifically designed as note taking applications. However, you may notice that many do have built in note taking functionality.
b. Starting this month, the focus of my blog has shifted to writing, podcasting, and sustainability. For technology focused posts, I have begun publishing posts on my second blog.
Once I started drafting this post, I thought it would be apt to publish it here on Medium. In a way it completes a full circle.
How this post is organized
My focus in this post is on three types of tools: Writing, spreadsheet, and Knowledge Management. The functionalities of some of them may overlap, while you may find that some tools from project management and task management are also mentioned in brief.
How I Compiled This List
Between 2021 and mid 2022, scouted several open source discussion forums and sites to generate a handwritten list. Among the various resources, I need to make a special mention of two sites. First of the two is the Awesome self-hosted list on github (this is based on the Subreddit with a similar sounding name). The second is the list of applications on Yunohost.
A Note on How To Install these Applications
I have installed and used at least for one day, each of the below tools.
At the risk of over simplifying I am summarizing the “How to install” these open source productivity tools into four categories:
a. Some of the tools can be installed very easily, using one click installers such as Softaculous.
b. Installation of others may require downloading the compressed .zip or .tar.gz file of the installer, uploading to server, unpacking the compressed file, and running the installation script. Many applications may require you to set up a database and create user(s) before the installation process.
c. Some PhP based applications may require using command line in the terminal, and installing via composer.
d. Node.js based applications may require installation of npm or similar tools, in many cases the installation is command line based.
For purposes of brevity, I am excluding the “How to Install” portion for each tool mentioned from the below list of 17 odd applications. With that background, let us dive into the world of Open Source Productivity tools.
Open Source Productivity Tools
I had originally compiled this list around July 2022. For one year, this list stayed buried in my pile of handwritten notes.
Note taking applications
- Markdown Edit: It is a desktop markdown editor with an emphasis on simplicity and user-friendliness, only showing you the raw markdown and its preview side by side. Website
- Turtl: It is a private, encrypted information manager. using turtl, you can store your notes, passwords, bookmarks, dreams, ideas, and other information. Data is encrypted on the client side. Website
- Cryptpad: A privacy-focused collaborative editor suite that uses end-to-end encryption. Cryptopad is designed to be a ‘zero knowledge’ tool. It allows file sharing and secure collaboration. Its features include tools for document editing, spreadsheet creation, presentation, and others. Website
- Trillium: It follows a hierarchical note taking application with focus on building large personal knowledge bases. It allows users to organize and link their notes, tasks, and web pages. It supports markdown formatting, tagging, searching, and hierarchical note linking. Website
- Notea: A self-hosted note-taking app built on top of GitHub or Gitea, allowing you to own your notes while benefiting from version control. Website
- Mininote: A simple, self-host able, markdown note-taking app with real-time synchronisation capabilities. Website
- Dnote: A simple and end-to-end encrypted note-taking app to help developers learn and recall new concepts by capturing their insights and referring to them when needed. Website
Spreadsheets
- Ethercalc: A web-based spreadsheet tool allowing collaborative editing,, which provides real-time updates to all the collaborators. It offers various built-in formulas, functions, and a powerful scripting interface. Website
- Grist: This is a collaborative online spreadsheet and database tool designed for structured data. It has an emphasis on team collaboration. Website
Knowledge and Project Management
- Docpht: A self-hosted knowledge base software that allows you to organize your data in a neat and structured way. Website
- Wikisuite: An integrated and comprehensive suite of open source software tools for organizations, supporting most aspects of modern operations. Website
- Wekan: A project management tool that allows you to create boards, where you can move cards between lists. Website
- Focalboard: A self-hosted project management tool that helps you keep track of tasks, projects, and to-do lists. It is a web-based open source, self-hosted alternative to Trello and Asana. Website
- Vikunja: A to-do list app to facilitate personal productivity, offering features like tasks, sub-tasks, team management and more. Website
Summing it up
The world of Productivity tools is very vast, with multiple options. Many applications often have overlapping functionalities. Installation methods and requirements may vary, so may the availability across devices. This might make it rather confusing to “find the right tool for your needs”. I hope the above list in small way might help you in finding the right tool(s) for improving your productivity… if you opt for using Open Source tools in your daily workflow.
