Take and Sync Notes with nvPY

Productivity Sauce
Notational Velocity is arguably one of the best open source note-taking applications. Sadly, it's available only on Mac OS X. But despair not: nvPY provides a viable alternative to Notational Velocity for Linux users. nvPY is not the prettiest application out there, but its interface is functional and it offers several useful creature comforts. The application sports a global search feature which lets you quickly find notes containing a specific search string. nvPY can handle Markdown and RST formatting, and you can convert formatted notes to the HTML format. Most users will also appreciate the built-in word count feature. nvPY also allows you to create internal links to other notes using the [[note]] format. More importantly, nvPY supports syncing via the Simplenote service.
Installing nvPY on Debian and Ubuntu (as well as their derivatives) can be done by running two commands as root:
apt-get install python python-tk python-pip python-markdown pip install nvpy
The first command installs the required dependencies, while the second command installs nvPY. Before you launch nvPY, you should create a file called .nvpy.cfg in your home directory containing your Simplenote credentials:
[nvpy] sn_username = simplenote_username sn_password = simplenote_password
Once you've done that, launch nvPY, perform sync using the File | Sync full command, and you are good to go.
Comments
comments powered by DisqusSubscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.
A small correction concerning nvPY syncing
I just wanted to make a small correction concerning nvPY's syncing strategy:
1. When you start it up, it automatically does a full sync, so you don't have to trigger a full sync directly after startup.
2. nvPY automatically saves and syncs continuously, in two background threads, as you work. You usually never have to trigger a full sync or a note sync by yourself. Even if you edit the same note from a different location, it tries to merge the changes coming from both sides during your next edit of that note.
3. nvPY does NOT yet automatically pick up on new notes that have been added through a different client, for example the web-app. If you think that new notes have been added, then you can trigger a full sync.
4. Eventually, even the full sync will happen automatically in the background while you work. I'm working on this, but it's a little more tricky than the other sync functionality I've already implemented.
5. I'll add this explanation to the nvPY documentation.
If there are any more questions, don't hesitate to make use of the nvPY discussion group: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nvpy
Thanks again,
Charl Botha