base note

base note

Summary

Simple text and tagging for enjoyable writing. Basic folder management keeps your thoughts organized. Capture ideas freely and connect them with ease.
💡🎨🪄🧠

A text-editor that is simple but inspiring to use, now on the Mac App Store.

Base note is:

Base Note is designed as a digital grounding tool for individuals who feel overwhelmed by complex information, new concepts, or general information overload. Its core purpose is to help users regain focus and control by offering a simple, low-friction way to essentialize information, record learnings, and capture raw, unfiltered thoughts.

My ADHD meant I felt overwhelmed by the constant flood of information, especially when diving into complex new things like AI. This often led to paralysis – too much complexity, even in powerful tools, stopped me from getting my thoughts down.

This is achieved through a philosophy of deliberate simplicity: Base Note utilizes plain text, tags instead of folders, and a single interface. These design choices directly address the common issue where powerful, feature-rich tools can paradoxically create barriers to entry and “analysis paralysis,” especially for users already feeling overwhelmed. By minimizing complexity, Base Note ensures the tool itself doesn’t become an obstacle, lowering the threshold for users to externalize their ideas and anchor their thoughts in a clear, accessible space.

 

Key Features:

  • Works with Your Folders: Open any folder of text or Markdown files directly. No importing needed. Your files stay where they are.
  • Smart Hashtag Organization: Use hashtags (#) in your notes. These instantly appear in the sidebar, acting as filters to connect related ideas. It’s an intuitive way to organize.
  • Focus Mode: Lock your cursor to the end of the document. This encourages writing forward without editing. Great for getting raw ideas down quickly.
  • Clean Interface: Familiar Apple design. Choose light, dark, or a colourful theme based on your system accent color.
  • Simple Note Sorting: Order notes by creation or modification date in the list.

A writing tool for the neurodiverse

  • ADHD (me!): Base Note assists with executive function challenges (like initiating tasks and organization) by offering radical simplicity and a minimalist interface that reduces overwhelm and lowers the barrier to entry. Its instant plain text capture helps with working memory issues and capturing fleeting thoughts, while flexible tagging supports organization without requiring rigid upfront planning. The design aims to cut through the noise and prevent the analysis paralysis sometimes triggered by complex tools.

  • ASD: To help with sensory sensitivities (like visual clutter), Base Note offers an uncluttered, single interface. Its inherent simplicity provides predictability, assisting individuals who prefer routine. By avoiding feature bloat, it helps manage potential overwhelm from excessive options. As a straightforward grounding tool, it supports the documentation of focused interests by allowing users to capture insights without unnecessary complexity.

  • Anxiety Disorders: Base Note assists with managing racing thoughts by acting as a grounding tool to help anchor focus. Its deliberate simplicity helps reduce task-related anxiety by making the process of externalizing thoughts less daunting. It aids in beating overwhelm and regaining a sense of control within its intentionally non-complex environment.

  • Other Conditions (e.g., Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Brain Injury): Base Note assists with reducing cognitive load through its fundamental simplicity, plain text format, and uncluttered interface. Its easy capture functionality can help mitigate memory or processing speed challenges. Furthermore, flexible tags support various organizational needswithout imposing complexity, aiming to simplify thinking and make it easier to capture what matters.