I Built a Notion Alternative That Works in Airplane Mode. Now Help Me Solve Sync Conflicts
Last month I was on a train. Tunnel. My notes app showed a spinner. I just wanted to write down one idea , and my notes app was waiting on a server. So I built Dovli : a calm place to write, plan and sketch. Notes, docs, to-dos and whiteboards in one app, and it keeps working when the internet doesn't. What Dovli does ✍️ Block editor with / commands, nested pages, tables and to-do lists 🔎 ⌘K…
While commuting last month on a train, I found myself stuck with a spinning spinner on my notes app while trying to jot down a single idea. Seeing this prompted me to create Dovli, an app designed for writing, planning and sketching that works seamlessly even without an internet connection.
Dovli brings together notes, documents, to-do lists and whiteboards all within a single app. It features a block editor with commands, nested pages, tables and to-do lists. Users can search across all pages using ⌘K and apply tags with #. The app also includes whiteboards and flowcharts that coexist with notes.
Page styles ranging from Linen to Sage Garden are available, along with both light and dark themes. One standout feature is its offline-first design. Edits are stored directly on the device and automatically sync once back online.
The app also supports Multi-Model Confluence (MCP) with Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Codex, enabling search, writing and editing of pages. Importing data from Notion, Evernote and Craft is another capability. Dovli is available on the web, macOS and Windows, as well as Android (with the APK now accessible on Google Play since November 7th).
Despite these strengths, I face a challenge: when users edit the same note on different devices like laptop and phone while offline, which version should take precedence upon reconnection? Currently, Dovli defaults to the last write method, although this can sometimes result in lost work. Alternatively, merging both versions provides a smart approach though it may lead to messy data.
Another option would be to ask users for input - a safe choice but quite intrusive. To resolve this issue, I invite feedback. Submit your vote as 1 (last write wins), 2 (merge both) or 3 (ask the user). I will then implement the most popular choice into Dovli, crediting the contributor in the changelog.
Interested users can try Dovli at dovli.in. The source code is available at github.com/MayankJha0333/dovli.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
