Developer Ivan Sorokin has introduced Aquilum, a new local-first note-taking application built with Rust and the Tauri framework. Designed for Windows, the software aims to provide a lightweight alternative to existing tools by minimizing resource consumption. According to the developer, the application uses approximately 27 MB of RAM, significantly less than similar tools that rely on separate browser engines.
The application utilizes the CodeMirror 6 engine for Markdown editing, ensuring compatibility with standard formatting. Key features include a high-speed search engine capable of processing thousands of notes in 1–2 milliseconds, a functional knowledge graph with heatmaps, and a versioning system for tracking changes. It also supports image handling, where files are automatically managed within a local directory.
Aquilum includes built-in widgets for book management, allowing users to read files, highlight text, and store citations directly within notes. The software features a custom scripting language for data analysis, inspired by Dataview, which allows for complex queries and task management. All data is stored locally in Markdown format to ensure portability and user control.
The tool supports automation through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling integration with AI agents like Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Gemini Antigravity. These agents can perform cross-database searches and batch edits. Currently, the project is in active development, with future plans to include improved synchronization, multi-user support, and expanded customization options.
