CrossLine vs Outliner
CrossLine
github.comOutliner
outliner.andysylvester.comSide by side
| Figure | CrossLine | Outliner |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Outliner Software | 8.6 (#5) | 6.8 (#30) |
| License | The repository lists GPL-2.0 and GPL-3.0 licenses. | The project is licensed under the MIT License, with copyright credited to Andy Sylvester in 2026. |
Plans
In their own words
CrossLine
CrossLine is a free, open-source outliner for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It arranges text as parent, child, and subtopic nodes that can be collapsed or expanded, and supports cross-links and Ted Nelson’s transclusion concept. CrossLine also works as a full-text database with a built-in search engine; Lucene can be added as an optional alternative when building the application. Navigation includes search, history, and back/forward controls, with backlinks supported. HTML and CLDX are listed export formats. Precompiled downloads cover Windows and Linux in x86 and x64 versions, plus Mac x64 and M1. The compressed executable can be unpacked and run without installation or special privileges. The README says the Windows build runs on Windows 7 without a separate Microsoft runtime. On Mac, startup requires the context menu’s open command. The project links to a demo repository, provides source-build instructions using LeanQt, and directs support questions to GitHub issues or email. Licenses listed are GPL-2.0 and GPL-3.0.
Outliner
Outliner has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.