Zennotes
Keyboard-first local Markdown notes with Vim motions, diagrams, and MCP integration.
What is Zennotes?
Zennotes is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to keyboard-first local markdown notes with vim motions, diagrams, and mcp integration.
Keyboard-first local Markdown notes with Vim motions, diagrams, and MCP integration.
This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Keyboard-first local Markdown notes with Vim motions, diagra
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx zennotesConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Zennotes
ZenNotes is a keyboard-first, local-first Markdown note-taking application with Vim keybindings, Mermaid diagram support, and a built-in MCP server that lets AI assistants read, create, search, and update notes directly in your vault. It runs as a cross-platform Electron desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) and can also be self-hosted as a web application via Docker, making your note vault accessible from anywhere while keeping data under your control. Writers, developers, and knowledge workers who prefer Vim-style editing and want their AI assistant to have live read-write access to their personal knowledge base will find ZenNotes a well-integrated solution.
Prerequisites
- ZenNotes desktop application installed for your platform (macOS, Windows, or Linux), or Docker for self-hosted deployment
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Cline
- No external API keys required — ZenNotes stores notes locally
Install the ZenNotes application
Download the installer for your platform from the ZenNotes releases page, or install via your system's package manager.
# macOS: Download ZenNotes-<version>-mac-arm64.dmg (Apple Silicon)
# or ZenNotes-<version>-mac-x64.dmg (Intel)
# Linux (AUR - recommended):
yay -S zennotes-bin
# Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):
sudo apt install ./ZenNotes-<version>-linux-amd64.deb
# Windows: Download and run ZenNotes-<version>-win-x64.exeOpen ZenNotes and create or open a vault
Launch the ZenNotes app and open an existing folder of Markdown files as your vault, or create a new one. The vault directory is what the MCP server exposes to AI clients.
Locate the MCP server command
ZenNotes ships with a built-in MCP server accessible via the 'zen' CLI command. Find the path to the CLI by opening ZenNotes settings or checking the application bundle.
# The CLI is typically available as:
# macOS: /Applications/ZenNotes.app/Contents/MacOS/zen
# Linux: /usr/bin/zen (after apt/AUR install)
# Windows: C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Programs\ZenNotes\zen.exeAdd ZenNotes to your MCP client configuration
Add the ZenNotes MCP server to your Claude Desktop config. Point the server at your vault directory so it knows which notes to expose.
{
"mcpServers": {
"zennotes": {
"command": "zen",
"args": ["mcp", "--vault", "/path/to/your/vault"]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop and start working with your notes
After restarting, Claude can read, create, search, and update notes in your vault through the ZenNotes MCP tools. Your notes are never sent to any cloud service — all processing is local.
Zennotes Examples
Client configuration
claude_desktop_config.json for ZenNotes pointing at a vault in the user's Documents folder.
{
"mcpServers": {
"zennotes": {
"command": "zen",
"args": ["mcp", "--vault", "/Users/yourname/Documents/Notes"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts for using Claude to interact with your ZenNotes vault.
- "List all notes in my vault and group them by folder."
- "Search my notes for anything related to 'project alpha' and summarize what you find."
- "Create a new note called 'Meeting 2026-06-13' with today's action items."
- "Append a section called 'Follow-up' to my 'Q2 Planning' note with these three tasks."
- "Find all notes that have unchecked tasks and list them with their file names."
- "Read my 'Architecture.md' note and generate a Mermaid diagram from the described components."Troubleshooting Zennotes
'zen' command not found in Claude Desktop's MCP server config
The ZenNotes CLI path depends on your installation method. Use the full absolute path in the 'command' field: e.g., '/Applications/ZenNotes.app/Contents/MacOS/zen' on macOS or '/usr/bin/zen' on Linux. Avoid relying on PATH expansion in MCP configs as Claude Desktop may launch with a restricted environment.
MCP server starts but returns 'vault not found' errors
Verify the vault path in your MCP config is an absolute path to a directory that exists and contains Markdown files. On macOS, you may need to grant ZenNotes Full Disk Access in System Settings > Privacy & Security if the vault is outside your home folder.
Self-hosted Docker deployment returns CORS errors in the browser
Set the ZENNOTES_ALLOWED_ORIGINS environment variable to your browser's origin (e.g., 'http://localhost:3000'). The default configuration restricts cross-origin requests for security. If testing locally, ALLOW_INSECURE_NOAUTH=1 can also be set to disable the authentication requirement entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions about Zennotes
What is Zennotes?
Zennotes is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that keyboard-first local markdown notes with vim motions, diagrams, and mcp integration. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Zennotes?
Follow the installation instructions on the Zennotes GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Zennotes?
Zennotes works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Zennotes free to use?
Yes, Zennotes is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up Zennotes in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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