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Ask HN: How do you keep track of your notes at work?

60 points by zuzuleinen ↗ HN
Hey guys,

I'm trying to find a tool/a way to add notes while I'm at work(code snippets mostly). For those of you who already do this can you recommend me one?

I tried gist.github.com, but I don't really like the UI. I'm checking boostnote.io, but I'm curious if there are better ways/tools for doing that.

67 comments

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AndersAtEndian
I’ve tried many notes application but the setup that works best for me is to collect all notes under one root directory (organized by project) and point sublime text to that root director. Powerful editing and easy to search. Sync via a remote git repository.
runjake
What do you use to search?
AndersAtEndian
I search from within the text editor. I'm on a Mac so the files are searchable via Spotlight as well.

I usually have this sublime window open in a separate Desktop so it is easy to switch to it.

boyaka
Yes this. Ctrl/super+shift+f is the hotkey as it is usually, which defaults to the folder the file is in. You can right click a folder in the file tree on the left to search within that folder, or modify the folder you're searching in. Another useful trick is to add a ", *.<filetype>" after the directory you're searching to limit the files.

The best part of searching in Sublime is the speed and the formatting of the results. It opens a "Find Results" tab just like another file, and it accumulates all you're searches there. Very fast and easy to browse.

I use Sublime for notes too, not because I think it's a really good way for taking notes, but more along the lines of the legal pad note takers: I just needed to jot stuff down quickly and didn't want to hassle with anything. I already edit code in sublime, so it's comfortable for me to always have it open.

I always have a window with just my notes folder open, and I make a new file for each day I take notes, named after the day. I do waste some time flipping through files, but there aren't that many to go through, and the search is there to deep dive into the entire history.

Sublime has always been quick to restore anything I haven't saved. On Windows it has a session file in AppData/Roaming or something. I did get bit by running out of hard drive space during Windows updates, and the session file ended up empty. Lost everything in it (unsaved files, open windows/files, searches).

I have found that Sublime is pretty slow with opening files on network drives. I still use notepad++, partially for that reason. I've also had a better time dealing with whitespace characters there, so I use it for random of commands and I/O I'm working with.

dwaltrip
You can also search the "search results tab" using single file search. Sublime is such a great tool.

> I use Sublime for notes too... I always have a window with just my notes folder open, and I make a new file for each day I take notes, named after the day.

Nice, we've converged on the same solution. I do daily plain text note files, and organize them into weekly folders. I sometimes create multiple per day if I'm working on more than one thing, or I want to dive deeper on one aspect.

For example: "4-12.txt" (the general one for the day), "4-12 Foo Schema.txt", "4-12 Baz Feature List.txt"

Sometimes I'll use markdown files instead of plain text if I want better readability. I'll switch from Sublime Text to the Typora markdown viewer/editor for those files. Typora is a pretty impressive tool as well. The nice thing about markdown that these files are still readable in Sublime, so I can switch between the two tools easily.

keithflower
Emacs with org-mode.
Y_Y
org-mode is too good though, I always find myself getting distracted by all the great things I can do to optimise the note-taking I'm not doing
sshine
I have a stack of paper in front of me. When a page has been sufficiently doodled with checkbox lists, I either put them in an archive stack or I toss them in the bin.
gh02t
TiddlyWiki is pretty nice.

https://tiddlywiki.com

I used to use it regularly, though my notes aren't generally terribly organized and nowadays I just use disposable legal pads.

thisisit
I used Evernote for sometime but the UI is kind of wonky. Now, going for ol' plain white paper.
_nato_
Without too much effort, I keep a NOTES file in each project directory. I keep it out of source-control. Anything that is worth preserving (backed up and checked in) goes in README. I also use a file called SCRAP for ephemeral matters, again, in each project root, not checked in. A great pattern that has served me well.
ah-
I do the same. A simple text file that's not in git, structured a bit like markdown. I keep it open in vim, so it's always there when I need it.

I've tried using more complex tools like vim outliner and evernote, but simple text files work better for me.

dwaltrip
Great system. I do something similar by creating a "_misc" folder out of source control. The "_" is so that alphabetically it is listed at the top and not intermixed with actual project folders.

I use it to store code snippets, prototyping scripts, misc notes that don't fit in my main folder system for notes/todos, query output, and other random items. If the _misc/ directory becomes too cluttered , then I throw most of the items into an "archive_$DATE" sub-directory (inside _misc).

I'm still working on a broader, general organization system for notes, documents, links, todos, etc... (lots of good ideas in this thread). But this works well for more ephemeral project-specific stuff.

house9-2
I use a single text file per application/project. On a Mac, so I have this file open all the time in TextWrangler. Cmd+f to search for what I need.

I have tried other more complicated things but always end up back to basics.

Rjevski
Bear (http://www.bear-writer.com) supports Markdown and has cross-device sync via iCloud. It's not the best for writing code but if you're copy/pasting existing code from another editor it's good.
developerdanny
Bear is great for organising notes. The style of #projects/open-source/react for example makes it really easy to be as broad or direct as necessary. Makes finding notes where you're not entirely familiar with the content much easier.
kendallpark
nvALT. (http://brettterpstra.com/projects/nvalt/)

I've tried fancier things like Bear, Evernote, and Workflowy, but keep coming back to the simplicity of nvALT. Evernote is for recipes. Bear is for avoiding rich text editors. Workflowy is for logging research notes.

nvALT is for everything else + kitchen sink.

indigodaddy
I use regular Notational Velocity. Didn't know about this fork, will have to try it out.
sitkack
I recommend using regular textfile storage with both of these, I had horrible corruption issues when using Dropbox for syncing. Lots lots of notes. Make regular backups!
kendallpark
Yeah, the fork is hands-down better. I use Simplenote to sync to other devices (including my phone).
velobro
I use Quiver (http://happenapps.com)

Latex, markdown, code cells with full syntax highlighting for dozens of languages. File format is JSON based so an entire work notebook can be thrown in version control and shared between a team.

BlackjackCF
+1 on Quiver. I'm really sad that it's not on Linux.
mjkunc
Also a big fan of Quiver. Anything I have to google twice goes into quiver as a code snippet. Trying to get in the habit of doing bullet points about what I worked on each day.
jpalmer
I've used Simplenote (https://simplenote.com/) for years. Can recommend.
welly
Seconding simplenote. Works across platforms (macos and android for me) plus web. Doesn't do anything clever, other than markdown integration and basic tagging, but what it does works well.
igammarays
Pasteapp for Mac/iOS. All my snippets are in my clipboard history and pinned snips.
kossae
I was using BoostNote, then Quiver, then settled on VimWiki using Markdown instead of the native format for my entries. It’s been invaluable and all of my notes are much more portable/transferable.. even as opposed to the cell-based JSON structures of the aforementioned.
satysin
I am quite happy with OneNote from Microsoft. It has decent enough Android, iOS and web versions as well and is free. Sadly I believe Microsoft are retiring the Win32 version in favour of UWP :(
plvch
notion.so is great: wiki, version control, nice UI
twodayslate
Confluence is where I put everything that isn’t in source control.
ssijak
Ulysses. Code snippets coming in new version (beta now)
qrbLPHiKpiux
I use notepad++

I have tried everything else. Believe me.

ianamartin
Another quiver user here. I really wish it were cross platform. One of these days, I’m going to make a web app interface to it for when I have to use a pc.
azizsaya
I use Microsoft OneNote. It has some great features, plays well with Outlook.
morganvachon
Same, I use OneNote for planning, brainstorming, and storing snippets and random important info. I don't have to worry whether I saved changes, unlike when I used Notepad++ and kept losing notes. I also do a lot of pen-and-paper scribbling, especially when working on an issue for a customer.

I can access OneNote via the web too, so I'm not limited to my Windows workstation for access to my notes (I use two Linux based laptops for inventory and other "on the go" tasks). I think it's one of the best applications to ever come out of Redmond.