Should you use DM Note for an OBS overlay?
DM Note suits creators who want control over how their keyboard input looks on stream. DM Note supports grid editing, per-key images, custom CSS and an OBS browser source. Its documented display options also include note effects, key counters, KPS statistics and key sounds. Those capabilities give you concrete reasons to choose it if you plan to customize a scene.
The main project's documented desktop targets are Windows 10/11 and macOS. For Linux, the README recommends a community fork. Start with that platform boundary before spending time on a layout.
What our run established
Our run took place on September 23, 2026, at commit baac1e8 in our sandbox, using the recorded lab-node:22 image with 3 CPUs and 8 GB of memory. The build command succeeded in 53 seconds, and the test command failed with exit code 1 after 221 seconds.
The attached stored parser summaries report 4,659 passing tests, 1 failed test and 18 skipped tests, with a total of 4,678. These summaries do not establish exhaustive, unique test coverage. We have not reconciled a complete log or performed a new execution. Skipped cases remain untested in this run; they are not failures.
The raw failure is identifiable: src/renderer/editor/runtime/spritePatchOptimisticIntegration.test.ts, at line 139, expected runtime.commit to have been called once, but the mock had received zero calls. The case concerns optimistic application of a position patch before the response arrives. That is a specific failed assertion in an editor integration test. The excerpt does not establish its cause, whether it reproduces on a supported desktop, or its effect on users.
Our harness records command success, exit codes, elapsed time and parsed test counts separately. Here, the build log shows renderer assets, while the test log shows Vitest results. Neither verifies a native desktop build, global keyboard capture, ASIO playback, an OBS connection or a gameplay recording. The testing methodology explains this distinction; its currently published procedure is provenance context, not evidence that this older run used today's methodology version.
The recorded npm audit total is zero known advisories. Scan coverage is unknown because the record supplies no scannedPackages field. This result is not a security review or evidence that plugins are safe.
Check the overlay where you will use it
The README recommends OBS Mode when the overlay is needed only for streaming or recording. It also describes running DM Note on the gaming PC and connecting from the streaming PC through an OBS browser source. Its claim that this reduces the effect on game frame rates is project guidance, not a performance result from our run.
Some fullscreen games can cover DM Note's always-on-top overlay. The documented workaround is borderless window mode. Before committing to a scene, check input capture, visibility and the OBS source in your actual game and recording setup. Our web build cannot answer those questions.
Customization also introduces a trust decision. The README says never to load a plugin you do not trust. Keep that warning separate from the dependency audit: an advisory count cannot validate an unofficial plugin.
When another tool fits better
Input Overlay displays keyboard, mouse and gamepad input in OBS Studio on Windows and Linux. Choose it as an alternative when those input types belong directly in your OBS scene. OBS itself is a complement to DM Note's browser-source workflow, not a replacement for the key viewer.
KeysPerSecond counts configured key and mouse-button presses and can display a graph over time. Choose it when input counts and KPS statistics are the main requirement. Its README requires Java 8 or higher and warns that its overlay will not cover most fullscreen games, so switching tools does not remove the need to check visibility.
How to read the retained ratings
These are editorial ratings, not measurements of adoption, reliability or security. The scale is 1 for substantial documented obstacles, 2 for significant gaps, 3 for a usable path with material limits, 4 for a well-documented path with remaining qualifications, and 5 for especially complete documentation within the assessed scope. Each dimension has a narrower basis: setup considers the documented installation path; docs considers instructions and warnings; community considers visible contribution routes; maturity considers release artifacts and automated checks.
Setup ease remains 4 because release installation is documented, while source builds add platform tooling. Documentation remains 5 for the supplied installation, customization, OBS, fullscreen and ASIO instructions; this does not rate every linked guide. Community remains 4 as an editorial judgment about the listed contributors, contribution route and community fork, not measured adoption or response speed. Maturity remains 4 for available release artifacts and automated checks, qualified by the failed editor assertion and the absence of a native desktop trial.