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Standard Notes Base

Standard Red Notes is built from the Standard Notes client/server architecture. The fork keeps the parts that matter most: end-to-end encryption, offline-first editing, cross-device sync, tags, protected notes, revisions, files, and a clean web/desktop/mobile package structure.

What Is Preserved

  • Client-side encryption and decryption.
  • Local device state with sync reconciliation.
  • Standard Notes item and payload model.
  • The web app, desktop/mobile shared packages, editor package layout, and shared client service abstractions.
  • Auth, sync, files, revisions, and gateway service boundaries.
  • AGPL licensing and upstream attribution.

What Changes In The Fork

The fork does not replace the core notes model. It changes the operating model: self-hosted is first-class, feature checks resolve to included access, and the server/operator surfaces are expanded so one person can run the product without the hosted subscription machinery.

Compatibility Notes

Recognizable upstream package names are not a drop-in compatibility guarantee. The current repository proves internal protocol, backup, and wire contracts but does not run a released original client against the fork server or the fork client against the hosted original service.

Use the Standard Notes Compatibility page for the status matrix, migration playbooks, exact source/test evidence, and known gaps. Changes to shared contracts should still be made conservatively:

  • Keep encryption and sync changes covered by real browser or protocol tests.
  • Avoid mixing hosted-service assumptions into self-hosted defaults.
  • Preserve upstream attribution in source and docs.
  • When widening server settings or API contracts, update the app UI, CLI helpers, docs, and e2e checks together.