MindNote

Think in maps. Capture in seconds.

MindNote is a fast, local-first mind mapping app for project managers, consultants, researchers, and anyone who thinks better in structures. Outline your work like a document, or zoom out to a visual map of the whole picture — same data, two ways to see it. No cloud account, no subscription, no waiting for a sync.

Built for keyboard-first thinking

1. Tab adds a child node, Enter adds a sibling, Space edits.
2. Arrow keys navigate — DFS-style in outline view, spatial (nearest node on screen) in map view.
3. F enters focus mode to fade out everything outside the current branch. Esc exits.
4. ⌘Z / ⌘⇧Z for undo and redo on every action.

Two views, one outline

1. Outline view — write and restructure ideas like a nested document.
2. Map view — see relationships as a spatial mind map with pan, ⌘-wheel zoom, and a layout you can reset with a click.
3. Layout modes — Bidirectional (children radiate to both sides) or Logical right-only (clean top-down hierarchy).

Capture from anywhere

Press ⌘⇧M (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+M (Windows / Linux) from any app — even when MindNote is in the background — to open a tiny capture window. Type, hit Enter, and your thought lands in the Inbox map, ready to slot into the right project later.

Templates that match how you work

1. PM Project — scope, milestones, risks, stakeholders.
2. Meeting Agenda — topics, decisions, action items.
3. Work Breakdown — deliverables to tasks to owners.
4. Brainstorm — open canvas for divergent thinking.
5. Save any map as a custom template — your repeating workflows, one click away.

Attach the context you need

Select a node and press ⌘V to paste a screenshot, whiteboard photo, or mockup directly into the map. Thumbnails render inline; click to open the full-size lightbox. Images live on disk, not in a cloud bucket.

Yours, on your machine

1. Local-first — every map, attachment, and template is stored on your device in SQLite.
2. No account — install and use, that's it.
3. Portable — export as .mindnote (a self-contained zip with attachments), Markdown, OPML, PNG, or PDF.
4. Import from .mindnote or OPML to move work in from other tools.

A workspace that feels calm

1. Four per-map themes: Light, Dark, Sepia, and Mint.
2. Minimal, distraction-free UI — your content gets the room, not the chrome.
3. Auto-save with a clear status indicator. Nothing is ever “unsaved.”

Optional AI, on your terms

Bring your own Anthropic or OpenAI key and unlock three focused actions: expand a node into sub-ideas, summarize an entire map, or turn meeting notes into clean action items. Your key stays on your device and only ever talks to the provider you chose — MindNote has no AI backend of its own.

Cross-platform

Native desktop builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Built on Tauri for a small footprint and fast launch — no Electron-sized download, no background processes you didn't ask for.

Who it's for

1. Project managers structuring scope, sprints, and stakeholder maps.
2. Consultants & analysts turning research into frameworks and decks.
3. Knowledge workers who think in outlines but want a visual canvas when ideas get tangled.
4. Students & writers planning essays, theses, and long-form arguments.

One app. Your ideas. Your device.