Notes & Knowledge

CherryTree

CherryTree is a hierarchical note-taking application that stores notes in a tree of nodes with rich text and syntax highlighting. It is used to keep project documentation, study notes, and code snippets in one searchable, portable document.

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✓ Software download·Open Source·Updated September 16, 2026
DeveloperGiuseppe Penone
LicenseOpen Source
File size9 B
Languageen-US
Downloads10

How CherryTree Organises Notes as a Tree

CherryTree is a note-taking application that keeps everything in one document, arranged as a tree of nodes. Each node holds a page of content, and nodes nest as deeply as the subject requires, so a project can run from a top-level heading down to individual meeting notes. The editor accepts rich text with headers, lists, tables, images, and embedded files, and any node can instead be a syntax-highlighted code block, which suits developers who keep snippets beside their documentation. Find and replace work across the entire tree, and exporting a node, its subnodes, or the whole document to PDF, HTML, or plain text covers most handovers. The whole thing lives in a single portable file.

CherryTree suits people who accumulate notes faster than they organise them. A single file can hold a decade of meeting minutes, configuration snippets, or study material, and the tree keeps related pages a click apart instead of scattering them across folders and chat threads. Notes gathered elsewhere fit in too: highlights and passages copied from a book read in Amazon Kindle can be pasted into the relevant node. Anyone migrating from another note tool can import existing files rather than rebuilding an archive, and the same document can be password protected when it holds credentials or client detail. It is not a sync service; the file belongs to you, and where it travels is your decision.

Benefits of Using CherryTree

CherryTree's main advantage is that structure and content live in the same file. Instead of a folder of documents whose names drift out of date, there is one tree where a topic is either present or absent, and searching the tree finds a phrase wherever it was written, including inside code blocks. Mixing formats inside one node is the other practical win: a page can carry a formatted explanation, a table of parameters, an embedded configuration file, an image, and a highlighted code sample that can be executed without leaving the editor. Generating a table of contents from the headers turns a long node into something navigable, and printing a node with its subnodes produces a document that reads as if it were written in a word processor. Locking the file with a password covers the case where the notebook holds client names or credentials. For developers, students, and anyone who keeps a long-running personal wiki, that combination is efficient and stays out of the way.

CherryTree features

Key capabilities and highlights.

Feature 1

A Tree That Grows With the Subject

CherryTree keeps notes as nodes in a hierarchy, nested as deep as the material needs, and nodes are rearranged by dragging them. A single document can hold several unrelated projects, each with its own branch, instead of one sprawling page.

Feature 2

Rich Text, Headers, and Lists

Formatting covers bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, colours, subscripts, superscripts, and monospace, along with six header levels that also drive table of contents generation. Lists can be bulleted, numbered, or to-do style and switched between types as the plan changes.

Feature 3

Code Boxes and Code Execution

Any node or embedded box can hold plain text with syntax highlighting for the relevant language, which keeps configuration files and snippets readable inside notes. Code can be executed from the editor with a configurable terminal and command, so a snippet can be tested where it is documented.

Feature 4

Images, Attachments, and Equations

Images are inserted into the text and can be resized or rotated in place, files of any kind can be embedded and saved out again later, and LaTeX math equations render as proper notation. That makes one note a complete record rather than a pointer to loose files.

Feature 5

Links Between Notes and Files

Hyperlinks can point at a website, another node, a node anchor, a file, or a folder, and typing a URL or a node name in double brackets creates the link automatically. Cross-references stop being a manual chore as a notebook grows.

Feature 6

Find and Replace Across Everything

Search can be limited to one node, extended to its subnodes, or run over the whole document, and replacing works the same way, including in node names. The last find, replace, or applied formatting can be repeated, which makes cleaning up a large notebook practical.

Feature 7

Export, Print, and Table of Contents

A selection, a single node, a node with its subnodes, or the entire tree can be printed, saved as PDF, or exported to HTML and plain text. Headers drive an automatic table of contents, so long nodes become navigable documents with collapsible sections.

Feature 8

Portable Files with Optional Encryption

A notebook is stored as one file, which makes backing up, copying, and carrying it trivial, and a document can alternatively be spread across multiple files for larger collections. The single-file option can be locked with a password for material that should not sit in the open.

Old versions

Browse historical releases and previous builds.

1.7.1July 18, 2026
1.7.0May 23, 2026
1.6.3January 13, 2026
1.6.2September 19, 2025
1.6.0September 9, 2025

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about CherryTree.

What is CherryTree used for?

It is used to keep structured notes in one document: project documentation, meeting records, study notes, personal wikis, and collections of code snippets. Everything sits in a tree of nodes that can be searched, exported, and carried as a single file.

Can CherryTree handle code as well as text?

Yes. Any node can be a code block with syntax highlighting for the relevant language, and a highlighted box can also sit inside a page of normal text. Code can be executed from the editor using a terminal and command you configure yourself.

Does CherryTree support images and attached files?

It does. Images are inserted into the text and can be resized or rotated afterwards, and files of any type can be embedded in a node and saved back out to disk when needed. Equations written in LaTeX render as proper notation as well.

Is CherryTree suitable for confidential notes?

The single-file option can be protected with a password. Protection is applied to the stored file using archive encryption, so while the document is open an unprotected working copy exists temporarily in a system folder and is removed when the application closes.

Can I bring in notes from another application?

Yes. Imports are available for a range of note tools and formats, including HTML files and folders of text files, so an existing archive can be moved across rather than retyped. CherryTree documents can also be exported back out or shared between installations.

How do I share a CherryTree notebook with someone who does not use it?

Export the relevant node, its subnodes, or the whole tree to PDF, HTML, or plain text and send that. Generating a table of contents from the headers first turns a long document into something a reader can navigate.

Does CherryTree sync notes between devices?

Not on its own. The notebook is a file, so syncing depends on where you store it: a shared folder, a personal cloud directory, or a version control repository all work. That design keeps the data under your control rather than tied to an account.

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CherryTree is a hierarchical note-taking application that stores notes in a tree of nodes with rich text and syntax highlighting. It is used to keep project documentation, study notes, and code snippets in one searchable, portable document.