Tomboy-ng as a Linux alternative to Sticky Notes
Updated
Our verdict
Tomboy-ng is a solid replacement for Sticky Notes for users who want a lightweight note‑taking tool on Linux but also need a bit more structure. It covers the core Sticky Notes functions—creating, editing, moving, resizing, and pinning notes to the desktop—while adding Markdown support, tagging, and optional cloud sync. It is ideal for Linux users who want a free, open‑source solution that stays close to the Sticky Notes workflow but offers extra features for power users.
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 0.42
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Both allow quick creation, editing, and deletion of plain text notes
- Both support pinning notes to the desktop so they remain visible
- Both let you move and resize notes freely
- Both store notes locally in a portable format
- Both run without heavy dependencies
What is different
- Tomboy-ng uses Markdown with live preview, Sticky Notes uses plain text
- Tomboy-ng offers notebook and tag organization, Sticky Notes has no categorisation
- Tomboy-ng can sync via Dropbox or Google Drive, Sticky Notes has no sync
- Tomboy-ng can export notes to PDF or plain text, Sticky Notes does not
- Tomboy-ng is a full application with a main window, Sticky Notes is a simple desktop widget
Opening your Sticky Notes files
Sticky Notes stores notes in the Windows registry or a simple text file in the user profile. Tomboy-ng does not natively read Sticky Notes files, so direct import is not supported. Users can copy the plain text content manually or export from Sticky Notes to a text file and then import into Tomboy-ng.
Switching from Sticky Notes to Tomboy-ng, step by step
- Open Sticky Notes and copy the text of each note to the clipboard.
- Launch Tomboy-ng and create a new note for each copied text.
- Paste the content into the new Tomboy-ng note.
- Save the note and optionally add a tag or move it to a notebook.
- Repeat until all notes are transferred.
- Optional: Set up Dropbox or Google Drive sync in Tomboy-ng settings.
Key features of Tomboy-ng
- Markdown support with live preview
- Notebook and tag organization
- Optional cloud sync (Dropbox, Google Drive)
- Keyboard shortcuts for quick actions
- Search across all notes
- Export notes to PDF or plain text
How to install Tomboy-ng on Linux
sudo apt install tomboy-ngsudo apt install tomboy-ngFrequently asked questions
Does Tomboy-ng support the same pinning behavior as Sticky Notes?
Yes, Tomboy-ng notes can be pinned to the desktop and will stay on top of other windows, just like Sticky Notes.
Can I use Tomboy-ng on a non‑Ubuntu Linux distribution?
Tomboy-ng is packaged for Debian and Ubuntu, but it can be compiled from source on most Linux distributions that support GTK and the required dependencies.
Is there a way to export Tomboy-ng notes back to a format that Sticky Notes can read?
Tomboy-ng can export notes to plain text or PDF, but Sticky Notes does not import from these formats. You would need to manually copy the text back into Sticky Notes if required.
4 other alternatives to Sticky Notes
GnoteGnote is a lightweight GNOME note‑taking app that lets you create, link, and organize notes with wiki‑style…Open sourceFreeFlatpakGnote vs Sticky NotesNotejotNotejot is a lightweight KDE sticky note application that pins notes to your desktop for quick reminders.Open sourceFreeNotejot vs Sticky Notes