# emacs-annotate

> annotation package for Emacs

**Wikidata**: [Q114347618](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114347618)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/emacs-annotate

## Summary
emacs-annotate is a free software annotation package for GNU Emacs, written in Emacs Lisp, that operates as a minor mode for text annotation. Created in 2015 by Bastian Bechtold, it is distributed via NonGNU ELPA and MELPA under the Expat license.

## Key Facts
- **Initial Release Date:** June 10, 2015
- **Creator / Maintainer:** Bastian Bechtold (programmer and signal processing scientist from Germany)
- **License:** Expat license (Free software)
- **Programming Language:** Emacs Lisp
- **Platform / Operating System:** GNU Emacs (cross-platform)
- **Distribution Channels:** NonGNU ELPA (added February 4, 2022), MELPA
- **Latest Stable Version:** 1.8.0 (released September 30, 2022)
- **Functionality:** Provides text annotation capabilities as a minor mode within Emacs
- **Source Code Repository:** https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el

## FAQs
### Q: What is emacs-annotate used for?
A: emacs-annotate is used for adding annotations to text files directly within the GNU Emacs editor. It functions as a minor mode to facilitate note-taking and commenting on specific parts of a document.

### Q: How is emacs-annotate installed?
A: It can be installed via package archives such as NonGNU ELPA or MELPA. Users can typically install it through Emacs' package management interface by selecting the `annotate` package.

### Q: Who maintains emacs-annotate?
A: The package was created and is maintained by Bastian Bechtold, a signal processing scientist and programmer.

### Q: Is emacs-annotate free to use?
A: Yes, it is free software distributed under the Expat license, allowing users to freely run, study, modify, and distribute it.

## Why It Matters
emacs-annotate serves a specific need within the Emacs ecosystem by providing a dedicated tool for annotating text without leaving the editor environment. For researchers, writers, and programmers who rely on Emacs for editing, this package integrates note-taking directly into the workflow, reducing context switching. Its inclusion in NonGNU ELPA, a major package archive for Emacs, ensures its accessibility to a wide user base. The package's continued development through 2022, evidenced by multiple stable version releases, demonstrates active maintenance and responsiveness to user needs. As free software, it contributes to the broader ecosystem of open-source tools that prioritize user freedom and customization, aligning with the philosophy of the free software movement.

## Notable For
- **Native Integration:** Works as a minor mode within GNU Emacs, ensuring seamless integration with existing workflows.
- **Cross-Platform Availability:** Compatible with any platform that runs GNU Emacs, including Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- **Free Software License:** Distributed under the Expat license, granting users extensive rights to use, modify, and share the software.
- **Active Maintenance:** Received multiple updates throughout 2022, including version 1.8.0.
- **Distributed via NonGNU ELPA:** Included in a major Emacs package repository since February 4, 2022.

## Body
### Development and History
emacs-annotate was created by Bastian Bechtold, a German signal processing scientist and programmer. The project commenced on June 10, 2015. The software is written in Emacs Lisp, the dialect of Lisp used in GNU Emacs, and is classified as both note-taking software and free software. It became part of the NonGNU ELPA package archive on February 4, 2022.

### Versions
The package has seen frequent updates throughout 2022. Notable stable releases include:
- **Version 1.8.0:** Released September 30, 2022
- **Version 1.7.2:** Released September 16, 2022
- **Version 1.7.1:** Released August 9, 2022
- **Version 1.7.0:** Released July 7, 2022
- **Version 1.6.0:** Released June 3, 2022
- **Version 1.5.4:** Released April 28, 2022
- **Version 1.5.3:** Released April 8, 2022
- **Version 1.5.2:** Released April 7, 2022
- **Version 1.5.1:** Released February 25, 2022
- **Version 1.5.0:** Released February 4, 2022

### Copyright and Licensing
The copyright holders of emacs-annotate include Bastian Bechtold (since 2015), Naoya Yamashita (as of 2018), and the University of Palermo (Università degli Studi di Palermo). The software is copyrighted but distributed freely under the Expat license.

### Technical Details
- **Programming Language:** Emacs Lisp
- **Platform:** GNU Emacs (cross-platform)
- **Nixpkgs ID:** emacsPackages.annotate
- **MELPA Package ID:** annotate
- **Source Code Repository:** https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el.git
- **Issue Tracker:** https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/issues
- **Official Websites:** https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el, https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/annotate.html

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "emacs-annotate",
  "description": "A free software annotation package for GNU Emacs, functioning as a minor mode for text annotation.",
  "url": "https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/annotate.html"
  ],
  "applicationCategory": "TextEditor",
  "operatingSystem": "Cross-platform",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "0",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  },
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Bastian Bechtold"
  },
  "dateCreated": "2015-06-10",
  "license": "https://spdx.org/licenses/MIT.html",
  "programmingLanguage": "Emacs Lisp"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/annotate.html)
2. [improve documentation and add license](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/commit/6d74f530748f05e46246ee77976c6f2643a25436)
3. [Source](https://bastibe.de/projects.html)
4. [Annotate version 1.8.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-09/msg00084.html)
5. [Annotate version 1.7.2. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-09/msg00044.html)
6. [Annotate version 1.7.1. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-08/msg00018.html)
7. [Annotate version 1.7.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-07/msg00014.html)
8. [Annotate version 1.6.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-06/msg00006.html)
9. [Annotate version 1.5.4. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-04/msg00063.html)
10. [Annotate version 1.5.3. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-04/msg00018.html)
11. [Annotate version 1.5.2. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-04/msg00011.html)
12. [Annotate version 1.5.1. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-02/msg00052.html)
13. [Annotate version 1.5.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-02/msg00009.html)
14. [Source](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/blob/master/NEWS.org)
15. [Release 1.4.3. 2021](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/1.4.3)
16. [Release 0.8.3. 2020](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.8.3)
17. [Release 0.8.2. 2020](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.8.2)
18. [Release 0.8.0. 2020](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.8.0)
19. [Release 0.7.0. 2020](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.7.0)
20. [Release 0.4.7. 2016](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.7)
21. [Release 0.4.6. 2016](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.6)
22. [Release 0.4.5. 2016](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.5)
23. [Release 0.4.4. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.4)
24. [Release 0.4.3. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.3)
25. [Source](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.2)
26. [Source](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.1)
27. [Release 0.4.0. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.4.0)
28. [Source](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.3.5)
29. [Source](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.3.4)
30. [Source](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.3.3)
31. [Source](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.3.2)
32. [Release 0.3.1. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.3.1)
33. [Release 0.3.0. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.3.0)
34. [Release 0.2.4. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.2.4)
35. [Release 0.2.3. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.2.3)
36. [Release 0.2.2. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.2.2)
37. [Release 0.2.1. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.2.1)
38. [Release 0.2.0. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.2.0)
39. [Release 0.1.5. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.1.5)
40. [Release 0.1.4. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.1.4)
41. [Release 0.1.3. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.1.3)
42. [Release 0.1.2. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.1.2)
43. [Release 0.1.1. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.1.1)
44. [Release 0.1. 2015](https://github.com/bastibe/annotate.el/releases/tag/0.1)
45. [Annotate version 1.8.1. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-10/msg00066.html)
46. [Annotate version 1.8.2. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-11/msg00063.html)
47. [Annotate version 1.8.3. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-12/msg00021.html)
48. [Annotate version 1.8.4. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-12/msg00059.html)
49. [Annotate version 1.8.5. 2023](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2023-02/msg00008.html)
50. [Annotate version 1.9.0. 2023](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2023-03/msg00021.html)