Highly customizable, modular, non-sandboxed system?
The app I’m looking for may not actually exist, but I’m gonna ask anyway!
I’m a highly visual person who gets picky about systems design. Frankly I wish I could just code my own PKM app to make precisely what I want, but I have zero coding knowledge and don’t have time to do this atm (maybe someday!)
I’m trying to build a PKMS/central workspace hub/dashboard/personal wiki for myself because I struggle to stay organized when I’m constantly having to swap between apps.
- I’d prefer something that is highly modular and object/block-based as that aligns more with how my brain works. If I have to use markdown though I can give it a shot, but would need some sort of live preview/read mode so when I’m looking stuff up, not editing, I can have it look pretty and polished. If it is object-based, I may need customizable object types.
- I’d ideally like to have some control over the look of the UI. As an artist/visual thinker, UI can make a huge difference in whether or not I feel motivated to use an app. However so far this option seems rare so I may have to just settle for one that already has a UI I like as-is.
- I want to be able to connect it to external stuff without needing to have a background in programming. So many of these apps seem mostly sandboxed with limited integrations to select apps.
I don’t mind storing my notes within the app’s database/vault/whatever, but there are frequent times I may want to reference some file that exists outside the system (like see an indicator change if a file is or isn’t present in an external folder) or find more ways to pass external info into the central hub (for example, being able to track updates on shipped online orders by having links to tracking info or something auto-import to the hub when there’s an update).
- Not AI-focused. If it’s there and I can ignore it, fine, but I don’t want it organizing my notes for me. I don’t want to have to chat with a bot to resurface stuff.
- Ability to set up clear structure. Ideally using a combo of folders, nested tags, and backlinks. I think what I’m envisioning is a hybrid Wiki/File explorer system. I am very much a “divide stuff up into boxes/folders/sections and build clear categorical hierarchies” type person.
I like using folders (or some other general grouping system) for large categories of stuff, but also like nested notes for more granular and flexible organization. And I want to be able to link to other notes, as well as include web links and ideally links to locations on my hard drive.
- macOS AND iPad compatible. This is a major hurdle I’ve found with many apps in general. My iPad is my most-used device and I’ve often found apps that are fantastic on macOS just don’t live up to their desktop versions on iPad. I am trying to use my MacBook more, but ultimately my iPad is still my most comfortable daily-use device as an artist.
- Ability to embed images. Also ideally the ability to do annotations in-app (with Apple Pencil capability) but if this isn’t possible I can do that in another app as long as I have a streamlined workflow for exporting and importing.
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tl;dr:
The more external info/notifications I can pass into the app, the better. Same goes for customizing layout of dashboards/notes/etc.
I AM willing to use some sort of peripheral tool to accomplish this, but again, have no significant coding background so it needs to be somewhat accessible/easy to figure out.
I have had some success learning various syntaxes on the fly (for example, building stuff in MUCKS, writing CAOS for mods for the Creatures games) so if there’s something that would help facilitate my goals that I could learn while using/building it (vs. code languages where you really have to start from scratch) then that might be doable for me.
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I’ve explored a few options but so far nothing has quite stuck for me:
- Capacities. Seemed promising, but got frustrated with the lack of UI/layout customization and for some reason the way their object system is implemented was difficult for my brain to process. Admittedly it’s been about a year since I last checked it out (not even sure if the iPad app was out yet).
- Obsidian. Also seemed promising. I like the level of customization! Still exploring it, but I’m unsure how rigidly sandboxed it is, as I’m finding fewer external integrations/workflows on the plugins page than I expected. That may end up being an issue? But it’s possible I’m missing some key understanding on expanding its functionality.
- Various canvas-based apps. These constantly seem to be recommended to artists but honestly I find them somewhat difficult to use. I need clearer structure (I use Miro for some stuff, currently testing it as my primary image ref board, and every board I make has a central navigation hub, otherwise I’d find it impossible). I also find these tend to slow down veeeery quickly with all the structured UI components I tend to add to them.
- DevonTHINK. Aesthetically this one was a no-go as my main PKM app as the UI feels very “90s desktop software”. But as an indexing tool it worked pretty well! (And was basically the only one I could find that let me add my own metadata and didn’t copy my files over and tracked changes to indexed directories). I have been trying it out to index some game mod files that I’m trying to create an organized repository of (with web links and readme txt files and dependencies and such) and it seems pretty decent at that, though it took more time than I’d like to figure out how to set up the custom rules I needed.
If I absolutely cannot find a central PKMS/hub that can also do dynamically updated external linking or indexing, maybe this could serve as a middle ground that does that and passes the info over? But I have no clue how to do that.
I do like the amount of info I can attach to basically any file just by using custom metadata though! And the ability to virtually “group“ files together that exist in separate locations in Finder without actually moving the files themselves. And the fairly snappy updates to indexed files. Honestly this app would be amazing if there were a UI layer on top of it that hides extra options when not needed/or a way to customize the UI to make it look nicer, and a more frictionless way to create wikis in it. If this is possible and I’m just missing it, please let me know!
- Journal-It. Sounded amazing in the description. But once I started it up, I noticed it seemed heavily designed around the idea of being a hybrid planner/task list. Categories were all focused on goals and schedules and habits, and I couldn’t find any general “building a personal wiki” type tools. But it’s possible I overlooked something.
- Anytype. One of the first ones I tried. Can’t remember what I didn’t like about it. Maybe not liking the default UI and a lack of customization options to change it? Right now I can’t even seem to get the webpage to load which is…not promising.
- Notion. I know everyone loves Notion, but I feel like I’m missing something? It feels like Evernote to me, with maybe a few more features. I also hate how…open the UI is (so much empty space and everything feels like it’s on the same flat open canvas). Never been on board with the visual minimalism trend. I want dividers between things, they help direct my focus. I was hoping I could at least change that, but when I look up templates/themes, they all just look like mostly identical layouts with maybe a different banner image/different colors, reminding me of Blogger/Blogspot. Does it have some hidden deeper customization features I’m missing?
- Evernote. Tried this over 10 years ago and it doesn’t seem to have changed a whole lot? It’s just very bare-bones.
- Apple Notes. Currently storing a lot of stuff in here just because it’s there, and thus an easy option but I hate the lack of formatting options and I frequently crash it on my iPad by using too many collapsible headers (which are still very buggy in general). It just doesn’t have enough of the features I want.
- Drafts. This app is a mystery to me. I know it can do a lot but I can’t quite figure out how to make it do that stuff. Right now I just use it to store WiP text posts for social media or Reddit or similar so I don’t lose anything while typing longer posts. Either way it seems more like a potential peripheral for expanding a PKMS system vs. the core app?
- MyMind. Didn’t like it. Manual sorting is possible but its whole deal is very much the ai sorting feature.
- Raindrop. I can’t get the browser plugin to work with Safari profiles (which I use extensively). I’m temporarily using Edge for reasons (I broke Safari with too many saved tabs/tab groups and need to clean it up…oops) but I’m still not sure I love how the web clipper works or how the app displays stuff.
- Anybox. Decent as a web clipper/bookmarking app. I have minor gripes but overall it’s been working fine. I could maybe use it to organize local files too, but I’m not sure as I haven’t tried? I also have no clue re: notes. There are things I like about it and things I don’t. Right now it’s my go-to bookmark app, not sure if I’ll keep using it for that or copy the bookmarks into my eventual PKM app.
- LiquidText. I love this app. It is very satisfying to use it for the primary thing it’s designed for: highlighting and annotation and excerpting your highlights. It doesn’t have the features I need as my central PKM app but if I still need another app for annotation hopefully I can set up a workflow that uses this.
- Finder / Files app with apple notes (or other notes app) and tags and folders. I tried it, lack of nested tags and workflow friction in every other thing (like notetaking) requiring a separate app is what I’m trying to get away from.
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Apps I haven’t tried but passed on:
- Bear. Seems designed more for the markdown & visual minimalism crowd.
- Various journal-style apps. I have a few downloaded on my iPad and admittedly haven’t really played around with them, but they seem more focused specifically on note-taking rather than acting as a central organizational hub. I could maybe build my personal wiki with one but would any of them let me do the other stuff I want to do?
- Eagle. Looks amazing as an art ref/asset management tool. Unfortunately there is no iPad version and the rec I got for a substitute feels very clunky and has no nested tags. Plus this seems more just image focused, so probably not the right fit for organizing notes, links, & other stuff?
- Reflect. I keep checking this one out because I keep seeing it recommended and then going “oh right, it’s ai-focused.” Which I apparently keep forgetting. 🙃
- Various other apps I’m probably forgetting since there are so many out there.
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I’ve also debated ideas like….building my own locally hosted Wiki/database with some webpage builder app and just not actually publishing it? As a workaround to limited customization options in available PKM software, but I don’t know if this would work, or if I could make it usable on my iPad as well.
I need to take a deeper look at Logseq and Heptabase too but I’m unsure they do everything I want to do and if they do, I’m not sure if their iPad apps are equally as good as desktop?
Is my dream app out there? Is there something close that can be viable with a little setup and some connected peripherals? Or do I need to just deal with aesthetic frustrations and workflow friction for now and eventually learn to code my own?