Tomboy (software)

Tomboy is a free and open-source desktop note-taking application for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It is written in C# using the GTK# GUI toolkit. Tomboy is designed to be simple and easy to use, allowing users to quickly create and organize notes.

A key feature of Tomboy is its "wiki-like" note linking. Users can create links between notes by simply typing the name of another note within the current note. Tomboy automatically detects these names and creates hyperlinks to the corresponding notes. This feature facilitates the creation of a personal knowledge base or a network of interconnected ideas.

Tomboy supports text formatting, including bold, italics, and lists. It also supports plug-ins, which extend its functionality with features such as note synchronization (e.g., with cloud services), note encryption, and advanced search capabilities. Over time, many community-developed plugins added significant utility to the core application.

Initially developed by Alex Graveley, Tomboy was later maintained by the GNOME project. While it was once a default application in several Linux distributions, its prominence has decreased as other note-taking applications have gained popularity. The GNOME project officially ended support for Tomboy in 2017, though the application continues to be available through various channels and community efforts. Users can still use and, in some cases, contribute to continued maintenance and development via open-source repositories. Tomboy's legacy lies in its simplicity and its innovative note-linking feature that influenced the design of other note-taking applications.