Local-first
Synapse runs on the user's machine. There is no hosted database. Data lives in a folder the user controls.
How it works
How Synapse is designed to work
This page describes the intended behavior of the app.
Still being built. Nothing below is a finished feature yet. It is the design I am working toward.
Notes
Plain Markdown files are the source of truth. The database holds metadata and a search index, so the notes stay readable without the app.
Tasks
Each task has a status, a priority and a due date.
- To do
- In progress
- Done
- Overdue
- Due today
- Due soon
- On track
Deleting is soft. A deleted task can be undone, and a trash view lists what was removed.
Projects
Tasks and notes can be linked to a project. Projects are archived, not deleted.
Workflow visualiser
First, tasks grouped by due date. Then a timeline view on a date grid.
Local AI
The AI runs through Ollama on localhost. It makes suggestions, for example task dependencies, and the user accepts or dismisses each one. Nothing leaves the machine.
Example suggestion
Task B may depend on Task A.
Safety rules
- Stale-save protection: an out-of-date edit cannot silently overwrite newer data.
- Backups with verification: a backup is checked after it is made.
- Exports with row-count manifests: an export lists how many rows it should contain.
A typical day
How I expect to use it
- Capture a note
Write it as Markdown. It is saved as a file in the vault folder.
- Add a task
Give it a status, a priority and a due date.
- Link it to a project
Attach the task, and the note if it belongs, to a project.
- Check the visualiser
See tasks grouped by due date, then on the timeline.