Thanote is an all-in-one private workspace for writing notes, managing tasks, drawing diagrams, running code, and AI-powered assistance — all secured with AES-256 encryption. No account required. Works offline and syncs across devices via Google Drive or local folder.
Features
Second Brain (GTD Vault)
Transform your notes into a living, self-organising knowledge system powered by AI — built on the proven GTD methodology.
- One-click GTD vault setup: 00 Inbox, 10 Projects, 20 Reference, 30 Someday-Maybe, 40 Archive — ready in seconds
- Home MOC (Map of Content) note auto-created on setup with a full GTD workflow guide and wikilinks to every folder
- AI files every new note in the correct GTD folder automatically — no more deciding where things go
- Notes are auto-linked bidirectionally with [[wikilinks]] so every idea connects to related ideas instantly
- Full subfolder support — nest Projects to any depth: 10 Projects → App Redesign → Backend → API
- Works with every note type: rich text, kanban boards, diagrams, code snippets, and spreadsheets — all linked
- Ask AI to process your inbox, scaffold an entire project, or write a weekly review — all in one request
- See your entire knowledge network in a live interactive Knowledge Graph — click any node to navigate
- Your second brain grows smarter every time you add a note — connections compound automatically over time
Bidirectional Wikilinks
Connect your ideas automatically with [[wikilinks]] — every link is tracked in both directions so nothing gets lost in your vault.
- Type [[ anywhere in a note to open a note-link picker and search across your entire vault
- Links auto-resolve by note title — no file paths to memorise
- Bidirectional tracking — when Note A links to Note B, Note B knows it is referenced by Note A
- AI ensures links are written in both directions whenever it creates or updates notes
- Click any [[wikilink]] in the editor to navigate directly to the linked note
- Orphan Notes action detects notes that nothing links to and suggests where to add inbound links
- Find Links action scans your 30 most recent notes and surfaces missing connections between related ideas
- When AI inserts a [[wikilink]] to a note that does not exist yet, that note is created automatically on apply
- Wikilinks work across all note types: rich text, kanban, code, diagrams, and spreadsheets
- Compatible with Obsidian vaults when using Local Folder Mode — same [[Title]] syntax
Custom Second Brain Design
Design your own Second Brain folder structure from scratch — or let AI improve it — then apply it to your vault in one click.
- Built-in JSON editor lets you define any folder structure: name, purpose, when-to-use, and colour for each folder
- AI Improve — paste any rough idea or existing config and AI rewrites it into a polished, well-structured Second Brain layout
- Share config — export your design as an encrypted shareable link; anyone with the link can preview and apply it to their own vault
- Append mode — adds only the folders that don't exist yet; existing folders and notes are untouched
- Replace mode — rebuilds the vault from scratch: moves all notes to General, deletes old folders, creates the new structure
- Full diff summary shown before you confirm — see exactly which folders will be created, kept, or deleted, with note counts
- AI quota notice shown inline — warns you if your daily quota is exhausted before you commit
- After every apply, AI writes a personalised welcome note in your language explaining the new folder structure and GTD workflow
- Reset to the default GTD config at any time with a single click
Browser Extension (Web Clipper)
Clip any web page directly into your Thanote vault with one click — available for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers.
- One-click capture of any web page: saves title, URL, and full readable content as a note
- Add your own notes or annotations before saving
- Choose the destination folder — including any Second Brain folder — before clipping
- Select the note type: rich text, code snippet, or plain markdown
- Works with your existing vault; clipped notes appear instantly alongside all your other notes
- Available for Chrome, Edge, Arc, and other Chromium-based browsers
- No extra account required — uses the same local vault as the main app
Second Brain AI Actions
A powerful one-click AI action panel that actively maintains, cleans, and grows your knowledge vault — so you never have to do it manually.
- Daily Review — creates a dated daily review note with Morning Intention, Inbox Capture, and Evening Reflection sections; keeps your day structured and captured
- Daily Capture — one-click capture note with Ideas & Thoughts, Links & Resources, and Quick Notes sections; the fastest way to get things out of your head
- Review Inbox — AI reads every note sitting in 00 Inbox and assigns each one to the correct GTD folder; shows a live badge count; apply all moves in one click
- Weekly Review — AI triages your inbox, checks active projects, identifies next actions, and creates a formatted weekly review note; shows active project badge count
- Monthly Review — AI processes the Someday-Maybe list, archives completed projects, and creates a monthly reflection note; shows Someday-Maybe badge count
- Find Links — AI scans your 30 most recent notes and surfaces missing [[wikilinks]] between related ideas; adds bidirectional links in both directions via update operations
- Orphan Notes — detects notes that nothing links to, then suggests which existing notes should point to them; shows orphan count badge so you can see your vault health at a glance
- Stale Projects — finds projects not updated in 14+ days and suggests the right action: archive if complete, add a next action if stuck, move to Someday-Maybe if deferred
- Knowledge Graph Overview — AI maps your wikilink clusters, identifies hub notes and isolated topics, and creates a map-of-content note in 20 Reference
- Explain Note — AI analyses how the current note connects to the rest of your vault, lists incoming and outgoing links, and suggests new links to add
- Continue Thinking — AI reads your current note and generates the next 3–5 ideas, counterarguments, or directions to extend your thinking
- Challenge Idea — AI stress-tests the main claim in your note: strongest counter-argument, hidden assumptions, and evidence that would falsify it
- Expand Deeper — AI expands your note with sub-topics, examples, and implications, then suggests an updated version with new sections
- Grow Knowledge — AI identifies concepts referenced across notes but never written as standalone notes, creates atomic gap-filling notes with wikilinks, and expands underdeveloped notes with new sections
- New Mission — AI breaks a goal into 5–8 ordered sub-topics, creates an atomic note for each, and adds a Mission overview note in 10 Projects with a checklist
- All actions return structured JSON operation blocks — create and move notes with a single "Apply" click
- Actions available in both the sidebar AI panel and the editor's inline Ask AI panel
AI Knowledge Growth System
A compounding knowledge engine that analyses your vault and fills the gaps — turning scattered notes into a dense, interconnected knowledge base.
- Scans your 40 most recent notes to find recurring themes, referenced concepts, and wikilink patterns
- Identifies 3–5 knowledge gaps — ideas implied by many notes but never defined as standalone atomic notes
- Creates gap-filling notes with core definitions, wikilinks back to source notes, and matching #tags
- Expands underdeveloped notes with new ## sections: Examples, How this works, Related concepts
- Updates existing notes to point forward to newly created notes — bidirectional linking throughout
- All changes returned as one JSON block — preview everything then apply in a single click
- Works alongside the Knowledge Graph to build a self-reinforcing network where every note strengthens others
- Supports Zettelkasten-style atomic notes with PARA/GTD filing conventions
Note History & Version Control
Every AI edit to a note is automatically saved to a per-note history — restore any previous version with a single click, or save manual snapshots before major rewrites.
- Automatic history entry saved for every AI operation: Improve Writing, Translate, Change Tone, AI Chat edits, and AI update operations
- Manual snapshot — save a checkpoint at any time from the note toolbar before making big changes
- Note History panel slides in from the right without leaving the editor
- Each entry shows the change type, timestamp, and relative time (e.g. "2h ago")
- Tap any entry to open a side-by-side diff view (Monaco editor) showing exactly what was added and removed
- Restore to any previous version in one click — the editor is updated instantly
- History is stored locally in IndexedDB per user — private and never uploaded
- Change types tracked: AI Update, Improve Writing, Translate, Change Tone, AI Chat, and Snapshot
- Also accessible from the Evolution tab in the Knowledge Dashboard for a vault-wide view of all AI edits
AI-Powered Assistant
Context-aware AI built directly into every note — writes, edits, translates, and answers questions without leaving your workspace.
- Thanote AI (powered by Cloudflare Workers AI) — works without any API key setup
- Also supports OpenAI, Google Gemini, and Anthropic Claude for users who prefer their own API keys
- Ask questions about your note content, generate new content, rewrite, summarise, or translate in one prompt
- AI diff view shows exactly what changed before you accept — never overwrites without your approval
- When AI adds [[wikilinks]] to notes that don't exist yet, those notes are created automatically on apply
- Language-aware — AI replies in the same language as your prompt (Thai, English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and more)
- Inline Ask AI panel in the editor with Quick Actions (Analyse, Edit, Create) and Second Brain Actions
- Workspace AI panel in the sidebar for multi-step conversations with full vault context
- Chat with Notes (RAG) — ask any question and the AI automatically retrieves the most relevant notes from your vault and uses their full content to answer accurately
- RAG retrieval ranks notes by keyword overlap with your question — title matches are weighted higher, so the most relevant notes always surface first
- Up to 4 notes are injected as full context into every conversational query — no need to open a specific note before asking
- Follow-up questions remember previous answers in the same session — the AI builds on earlier context across the conversation
- Works entirely on-device — no note content is sent to the server; retrieval and ranking happen in the browser before the prompt is assembled
Rich Text Notes
Write and format notes with a powerful block-based editor — packed with Obsidian-compatible syntax extensions for writers, researchers, and developers.
- Full rich text formatting — headings, bold, italic, lists, nested lists, tables, and task checkboxes
- Embed images, files, and media directly in notes
- [[Wikilinks]] — type [[ to link any note by title; click to navigate instantly
- #Hashtags — type # to tag any word; click a tag to filter all notes by that tag across your vault
- Callout blocks — Obsidian-compatible [!type] callouts in 13 styles: Note, Info, Tip, Warning, Danger, Success, Question, Bug, Quote, Example, Abstract, Failure, Important — imported automatically from Obsidian vaults
- ==Highlighted text== — Obsidian highlight syntax rendered as yellow-highlighted text
- Math equations — KaTeX rendering for inline $...$ and display $$...$$ equations; write LaTeX math directly in your notes
- YouTube auto-embed — paste a YouTube URL on its own line and it renders as an interactive embedded video player automatically
- Obsidian ![[embeds]] — ![[Note Title]] renders the referenced note's content inline within the current note
- iframe embeds — embed Figma designs, Google Maps, or any website via the /embed slash command
- Slash command menu ( / ) for quick block insertion: headings, code blocks, tables, dividers, callouts, embeds, and more
- Full-width and narrow layout modes for focused writing or document-style pages
Kanban Board
Visualise and manage tasks with a flexible drag-and-drop board.
- Create boards with unlimited columns (e.g. To Do, In Progress, Done)
- Drag and drop cards between columns effortlessly
- Add descriptions, labels, and due dates to each card
- Works seamlessly inside split-view alongside other note types
- Stored locally with the same AES-256 encryption as all your notes
Diagrams
Create flowcharts, sequence diagrams, ER diagrams, and more.
- Powered by Mermaid.js for text-based diagram creation
- Supports flowcharts, sequence, class, state, Gantt, and ER diagrams
- Live preview as you type
- Export diagrams as images
- Works inside split-view for side-by-side editing
Code Editor & Execution
Write, store, and run code directly in your notes.
- Syntax highlighting for 15+ programming languages
- Run code in-browser with instant output
- Monaco-based editor (same engine as VS Code)
- Multiple themes including dark mode
- Code snippet templates for quick starts
Spreadsheets
Build tables, grids, and calculations without leaving your workspace.
- Spreadsheet-style grid editor with formula support
- Resize columns and rows freely
- Use alongside other note types in split-view
- Stored and encrypted like all other note types
Widget Miniapps
Embed interactive mini-applications directly inside your notes.
- Embed widgets inline within any rich text note
- Built-in calculator, timer, countdown, and more
- Browse and add from the Miniapp Gallery
- Customise and configure each widget independently
Voice Input
Dictate notes hands-free using your microphone.
- Speech-to-text transcription directly into the editor
- Works on any device with a microphone
- Supports multiple languages
- Quick toggle from the note toolbar
Split View
Work with multiple notes simultaneously for maximum productivity.
- View and edit two notes side by side
- Split horizontally or vertically as needed
- Unlimited nested splits for complex workflows
- Drag to resize panes to your preference
- Works with all note types: Text, Kanban, Diagrams, Code, Sheets, and Widgets
Knowledge Dashboard
A three-tab analytics panel that measures the health of your knowledge vault, surfaces hidden insights, and tracks every AI edit your notes have received.
- Dashboard tab — computes a Knowledge Score (0–100) across five dimensions: link density, folder depth, tag coverage, organisation, and revision frequency
- Growth timeline shows how your vault has expanded over time — note count and wikilink density charted by month
- Cluster analysis groups your notes into topic clusters based on shared wikilinks and tags
- Active areas highlight which folders and topics you have been writing in most recently
- Insights tab — AI analyses your vault and surfaces patterns, hidden connections between unlinked notes, concept gaps, and actionable tips to strengthen your knowledge base
- Tip cards are prioritised by impact — the most important improvements appear first
- Evolution tab — a full AI edit history for every note: see exactly what changed, when, and which AI action triggered the change
- Side-by-side diff view (Monaco) shows before and after content for every AI edit — Improve Writing, Translate, Change Tone, AI Chat, and manual snapshots
- Restore any previous version with one click — content is previewed in the diff viewer before committing
- Save manual snapshots at any point to checkpoint your work before major rewrites
- Interactive Knowledge Graph is embedded directly inside the Dashboard for quick reference alongside your stats
Knowledge Graph
Visualise the connections between your notes as an interactive graph.
- See all notes and their [[wikilinks]] in a visual network
- Click any node to navigate directly to that note
- Discover related ideas and clusters across your workspace
- Identify hub notes, orphan notes, and densely connected topic areas
Folder Organisation & Subfolders
Keep your notes structured with a fully nested folder system — organise projects to any depth.
- Create nested subfolders to any depth — e.g. 10 Projects → App Redesign → Backend
- AI automatically creates the full folder hierarchy in a single operation
- Drag and drop notes between folders and subfolders
- Quick Access section for pinned notes and folders
- Move notes to any subfolder by name — no need to know the full path
Note Sharing (Encrypted Links)
Share any note as a read-only encrypted link — the recipient sees the rendered content without needing an account or access to your vault.
- One-click share link generation from the note toolbar — link is copied to clipboard instantly
- Note content is encrypted client-side before being uploaded to Cloudflare R2 storage — the server never sees plaintext
- Recipient opens the link in any browser; content is decrypted locally using the key embedded in the URL fragment (never sent to the server)
- Recipient can import the shared note directly into their own Thanote vault with one click
- Share links work for all note types: rich text, kanban boards, diagrams, code snippets, and whiteboards
- Whiteboard notes can be shared as encrypted links — recipients can view or import the full Excalidraw canvas
- Second Brain configs (custom folder designs) are also shareable as encrypted links — preview and apply directly
- No expiry by default — links remain valid until you delete the note or regenerate the link
Security & Privacy
Your data stays private with multiple layers of protection.
- AES-256 end-to-end encryption for sensitive notes
- Master password protection for your entire workspace
- Biometric unlock via Touch ID, Face ID, or Windows Hello (WebAuthn)
- Biometric data never leaves your device
- No account required — start using immediately
- Local storage by default — your data stays on your device
- No tracking or third-party analytics
Live Share & Real-Time Collaboration
Share your notes and work together in real time — invite anyone with a link, no account required.
- Start a Live Share session from any note with one click — generates a secure join link instantly
- Share individual notes or entire folders with collaborators
- Real-time cursor presence — see every participant's cursor position and name colour-coded on the page
- Live content sync — edits broadcast to all participants within milliseconds via Cloudflare Durable Objects
- Permission control — host can grant viewer (read-only) or editor (full edit) access per participant
- Request edit access — viewers can request editor permission; host approves or denies in one click
- Revoke or kick participants at any time from the floating Live Share panel
- Follow Mode — click any participant's avatar to follow them; your view automatically scrolls and switches notes to match wherever they navigate
- Follow mode syncs scroll position in real time — when the followed person scrolls, your editor mirrors it instantly
- Stop following at any time by clicking the active participant again or navigating independently
- Pending follow requests shown inline — host can accept or dismiss follow requests from participants
- Draggable Live Share panel — reposition the floating panel anywhere on screen without blocking your workspace
- Connection status indicator — shows live / reconnecting / disconnected state at a glance
- Session ends cleanly when the host leaves — all participants are notified automatically
Cross-Device Sync
Access your notes anywhere with automatic Google Drive synchronisation.
- Optional sync via Google Drive
- Offline-first — work without internet, sync when reconnected
- Real-time updates across all your devices
- Available on Web, iOS, and Android
Import & Export
Back up your entire vault or migrate between devices — export to encrypted JSON or plain Markdown, and import back in seconds.
- Export all notes and folders to a single encrypted JSON file — AES-256 encrypted backup that only you can open
- Export any individual note as a plain Markdown (.md) file for use in Obsidian, Notion, or any text editor
- Import from a Thanote JSON backup — notes and folders are restored exactly as exported, including folder structure
- Duplicate detection on import — existing notes are not overwritten; only new notes are added
- Export preserves note metadata: created date, updated date, tags, folder assignment, and note type
- Markdown export includes YAML frontmatter compatible with Obsidian and other Markdown-based tools
- Works alongside Local Folder Mode — notes saved to disk are already portable .md files updated in real time
Drag & Drop Management
Organise notes and manage status with intuitive drag-and-drop — no menus needed.
- Drag notes directly onto folders in the sidebar to move them instantly
- Drop a note onto Starred, Archived, or Trash to change its status in one gesture
- Reorder folders by dragging them up or down the list
- Drag notes between split-view panes to rearrange your workspace
- Works on both desktop (mouse) and touch devices
Local Folder Mode
Store every note as a plain .md file on your own machine — fully Obsidian-compatible.
- Choose any folder on your device as the sync target
- Each note is saved as a Markdown file with YAML frontmatter
- Web folders become sub-directories — perfect for Obsidian vaults
- Bidirectional: changes in the app appear on disk, edits on disk appear in the app
- Auto-syncs every 30 seconds and whenever you switch back to the browser tab
- Requires a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge, Arc) for File System Access API
Whiteboard
Draw, sketch, and plan visually with a full-featured infinite canvas — powered by Excalidraw.
- Infinite canvas for freehand drawing, shapes, arrows, and text
- 14 built-in templates: Mind Map, SWOT Analysis, Sprint Retrospective, Kanban Board, Empathy Map, Product Roadmap, Business Model Canvas, Decision Tree, 5W1H Analysis, OKR Framework, Startup Pitch Deck, Project Kickoff, Sprint Review & Planning, Discovery Sprint
- Works as a first-class note type — stored and encrypted alongside all your other notes
- Export whiteboard as a PNG or SVG image
- Import existing Excalidraw files directly into the editor
- Dark mode support — canvas adapts to your current theme
- Works inside split-view alongside rich text notes, code, diagrams, and more
- Share whiteboards as encrypted links — anyone with the link can view or import
Biometric Unlock
Lock your workspace behind Touch ID, Face ID, or Windows Hello — no passwords to type, no biometric data ever leaving your device.
- Enable biometric unlock in Settings — registers a WebAuthn platform credential on your device
- Supports Touch ID (Mac, iPhone, iPad), Face ID (iPhone, iPad), and Windows Hello (Windows devices)
- Re-authentication required on every fresh page load — your vault is always locked when you open the app
- Biometric data never leaves the device — authentication happens entirely in the browser via the WebAuthn API
- Works alongside AES-256 note encryption and master password protection for layered security
- Disable or re-register at any time from the Security section of Settings
- Falls back gracefully on browsers that do not support WebAuthn