nvALT
nvALT is a lightweight, keyboard-focused note-taking application for macOS that emphasizes speed and simplicity in capturing and retrieving plain-text notes. Built as a modern fork of Notational Velocity, it features MultiMarkdown support, a dual-pane interface for quick searching and editing, and deep integration with macOS for seamless note management. The app is popular with writers, researchers, and knowledge workers who prefer minimal distraction and rapid note organization. Users value nvALT for its lean performance, searchable plain-text database, and support for Markdown formatting, making it ideal for building personal wikis, Zettelkasten archives, and quick-reference systems.
Suggested Replacements
1 suggestionnvALT is no longer actively maintained. Version 2.2.8 (released in 2013) was the final update, and Homebrew has marked it as deprecated and unmaintained. While the app may still run under Rosetta 2 on Apple Silicon Macs, there is no native version and no indication of future development. The developer, Brett Terpstra, began work on a successor called nvUltra (which would include Apple Silicon support), but it has remained in slow development as a paid beta since at least 2024. For a native alternative, consider Obsidian, which offers similar plain-text Markdown notes with modern development, a vault-based system, and full Apple Silicon support. If you prefer a free option, Apple Notes or Bear provide native Apple Silicon builds, though they trade some of nvALT's minimalist philosophy for richer features. Alternatively, you can wait to see if nvUltra eventually ships as a commercial release.
Native version · Reported by in the community.
Sighting data is community-sourced — version availability and pricing should be verified with the developer.
Suggested Replacements
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