jrnl

Spec sheet

Purpose

jrnl is a command-line journal application for creating, searching, and viewing journal entries.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Free plan

YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · jrnl.sh

Support

The project directs users who need help to submit an issue on GitHub.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Editors

jrnl can pass entries to a configured external editor, including Visual Studio Code, Vim, and Notepad++.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Encryption

The application supports AES encryption, and its documentation says encrypted journals use the jrnl v3 format for new encrypted writes.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Export formats

multipleRead 20 Sep 2026 · jrnl.sh

Import and export

jrnl supports importing entries and exporting them in formats including JSON, Markdown, plain text, XML, and YAML.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Installation requirement

The installation guide recommends pipx with Python 3.11 or later.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Keychain

When encrypting a journal, jrnl asks whether to store its password in the system keychain.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Natural-language entry

Entries can be created with natural-language timestamps such as “yesterday.”Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Offline access

YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · jrnl.sh

Open source

The project says it is free and open source, and its GitHub repository identifies the license as GPL-3.0.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Password recovery

The documentation states that jrnl passwords cannot be recovered or reset, and losing one makes the data inaccessible.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Plain-text storage

Journals are stored as human-readable plain-text files that can be placed in shared folders to synchronize between devices.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Sync and integrations

The homepage suggests syncing journal files with tools such as Dropbox; the documentation also describes external editors and data formats for piping or exporting journal data.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Tags and journals

jrnl supports inline tags for searching and filtering, and multiple journals stored as one file or a set of files.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Who it is for

The homepage presents jrnl as a tool for keeping separate journals for different parts of life, including work and personal use.Read 5 Oct 2026 · jrnl.sh

Plans and prices

Every jrnl plan and price →

Where Specifiction places it

• Journaling apps#20 of 378.1
• Journal Apps#26 of 357.8
• Journaling Software#28 of 377.9
• Note-taking apps#170 of 2167.6