Project Notes Pro 6.5.0: Store compatibility and plugins worth sharing

We wanted Project Notes Pro 6.5.0 to make two things easier: getting the app through the stores people already use, and sharing the useful things we build with it. That meant changing how plugins run and reducing the size of the installation.

The biggest work in this release is compatibility with Apple’s App Store and the Microsoft Store. The new JavaScript plugin scripting engine supports those store requirements, and the installers are now just 10–15% of their original size. Alongside that work, we’ve added a place on our website where you can upload plugins and share them with the community.

A plugin engine built for store compatibility

Project Notes Pro now runs JavaScript plugins inside the app. That replaces the bundled Python runtime and gives us a plugin scripting engine that’s compatible with the Apple App Store and Microsoft Store.

We want plugins to remain a useful part of Project Notes as we prepare it for store distribution. Moving to JavaScript lets us keep that flexibility while supporting the way those stores expect applications to work.

The bundled My Shortcuts, Archive Mail, Office Tools, and Team Member Quick Add plugins, along with the IFS Cloud plugin, have been rewritten in JavaScript. Their settings carry over on first start. If you’ve written your own Python plugins, you’ll need to move them to JavaScript for 6.5.0.

Installers just 10–15% of their original size

Store compatibility was also a chance to trim what ships with the app. Python is no longer needed or bundled, and report PDFs (Portable Document Format files) now render without Qt WebEngine. Together, these changes bring the installers down to just 10–15% of their original size.

The Windows and macOS installers also clean up the embedded Python runtime, its packages, and the retired Python plugins left behind by earlier versions. There’s less to carry along when you install or upgrade.

Build something useful. Share it with the community.

The other big addition is our community plugin library. You can now upload your plugins to the Project Notes Pro website so other people can download and use them.

A plugin might start with one task you do over and over. If it helps you, someone else may find it useful too. We’d like the library to give those ideas a place to go, where the community can share practical additions to Project Notes.

To share yours, sign in on the Plugins page, add a title and description, and upload your .pnplugin file. Anyone can browse and download plugins. In the app, you can install a package and review what the plugin can do before it runs.

Your own plugins now live in the application data folder, so upgrades leave them alone. You can also export and import plugin settings under Settings > Plugins when you move to another computer.

A few more everyday improvements

Project folders now sync with your project data, with a Folder filter on desktop and mobile. Each project belongs to one folder at a time; during the upgrade, a project that was in several folders keeps the first one. Projects can also store a primary folder on disk for plugins and reports to save into.

You’ll see People and Clients renamed to Contacts and Companies, a reorganized Settings page, and Appearance under Preferences. The macOS download supports macOS 13 (Ventura) and later on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

Get started with 6.5.0

Visit the download page for Project Notes Pro, then take a look at the community plugin library. If you’ve built a plugin that makes your work easier, We’d like to invite you to share it.

Before upgrading, check the full release notes for platform-specific steps. Mac users will be asked again for Calendar, Contacts, and Automation access because the app’s identity has changed. Desktop versions older than 6.4.0 need a one-time manual installation to switch update checks to GitLab; Linux users on the old GitHub repository should follow the remote migration instructions.