-# flatnotes 
+
+
+A database-less note taking web app that utilises a flat folder of markdown files for storage.
+
+Log into the [demo site](https://demo.flatnotes.io) and take a look around. The username is `demo` and the password is `demo`. *Note: This site resets every 15 minutes.*
-A note taking web app that utilises a flat folder of markdown files for storage.
## Design Principle
-For a long time now I've written and stored all of my personal notes in a simple folder of markdown files. I find that the simple, distraction free formatting helps me focus on the content and the storage medium frees me from being locked into any particular note taking app.
-
-Still, I was unable to find an editor that ticked all the boxes:
-
-* Support for flat folder storage
-* Cross platform (web based)
-* Mobile friendly
-* Clean, simple interface
-* Good markdown support for:
- * Tables
- * Code Blocks (Syntax Highlighting)
- * Task Lists
-* Full text searching
-* Support for embedding images (and storing them)
-* Support for uploading file attachments - NOT YET IMPLEMENTED
-* Password authentication
-* The ability to share notes as public read-only URLs - NOT YET IMPLEMENTED
-
-This is what flatnotes aims to achieve.
+flatnotes is designed to be a distraction free note taking app that puts your note content first. This means:
+
+* A clean and simple user interface.
+* No folders, categories, keywords, notebooks, tags or anything like that. Just all of your notes backed by powerful search functionality.
+* Quick access to a full text search from anywhere in the app (keyboard shortcut "/").
+
+
+## Q&A
+### Where is the database?
+There is no database, only a single folder of markdown files (and the .flatnotes sub-folder).
+
+### What is the .flatnotes sub-folder for?
+This stores a full text index of your note content allowing for rapid search times.
+
+### Can I delete the .flatnotes sub-folder?
+As long as flatnotes isn't running, sure! It'll just get rebuilt then next time flatnotes is run.
+
+### Can I add, edit & delete the markdown files outside of flatnotes?
+Yup. The only thing flatnotes caches is the search index and that's synced on every search (and when flatnotes first starts).
+
+### Can I perform advanced searches?
+Yes! See the [Advanced Searching](https://github.com/Dullage/flatnotes/wiki/Advanced-Searching) wiki page.
+
+### How do I get my notes out of flatnotes?
+They're just markdown files. There's no database, proprietary formatting, complicated folder structures or anything like that so you're free to just move the files elsewhere and use another markdown editor.
+
+
+## Roadmap
+I want to keep flatnotes as simple and distraction free as possible which means limiting new features. This said, I welcome feedback and suggestions.
+
+One feature I do plan to implement is the ability to *share* a note. In the spirit of simple and database-less, the current plan is to generate temporary pre-signed URLs but this needs to be explored.
+
+
+## Thanks
+
+A special thanks to 2 fantastic open source projects that make flatnotes possible.
+
+* [Whoosh](https://whoosh.readthedocs.io/en/latest/intro.html) - A fast, pure Python search engine library.
+* [TOAST UI Editor](https://ui.toast.com/tui-editor) - A GFM Markdown and WYSIWYG editor for the browser.
git.99rst.org / flatnotes.git / commitdiff
