Napkin
Collects and connects short ideas into a browsable personal knowledge graph
Napkin's solo core is compact: build a local-first idea collection app with fast capture, full-text search, backlinks, tags, and Markdown export. A competent builder can reach a useful personal version in one sitting, while the paid product mainly wins on polish, sync, importers.
Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability
What you give up
- conflict-safe multi-device sync
- mature importers and exporters
- collaborative editing and sharing
- native mobile clients
Why people still pay
Napkin: People pay for a writing surface they trust for years, plus migration tools, sync, and tiny interaction details that disappear into habit.
Your build guide
The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.
Before you start
- Node and the Rust toolchain, a supported desktop build environment and an explicitly selected data folder. Remote sync is outside the initial scope.
- Implementation components: Tauri, React and TypeScript for the desktop interface with a narrowly scoped Rust filesystem bridge. SQLite for structured state and search; user-owned files for original documents and attachments.
- Scope boundary: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters
Use these project rules and optional skill references alongside the prompt. Review each skill before adding it to your agent; the AGENTS.md export includes the same guidance.
Optional external skill: vercel-react-best-practices — Improve React and Next.js data fetching, rendering, bundle size and server performance. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: web-design-guidelines — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: sharp-edges — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Project rule — data model: idea cards, capture timestamps, tags, manually accepted links, optional embeddings and source references
Project rule — preserve this invariant: Semantic similarity suggests an association but cannot create an authored link automatically; card IDs survive title changes.
Project rule — acceptance evidence: Accept one suggested link and reject another, then rebuild embeddings without changing those decisions; exporting/reimporting retains source URLs.
Implementation plan
Phase 1
Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Capture short ideas with a global shortcut, browse a loose visual graph and surface related cards for review. Keep source links and a portable Markdown/JSON export. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters
Phase 2
Durable model. Model idea cards, capture timestamps, tags, manually accepted links, optional embeddings and source references Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: Semantic similarity suggests an association but cannot create an authored link automatically; card IDs survive title changes.
Phase 3
Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Save edits atomically with stable IDs and revision history. Detect external file changes and offer a conflict copy instead of last-write-wins data loss.
Phase 4
Permissions and integration failure. Limit Tauri capabilities to selected folders and commands. Render imported content without executable HTML, and never expose arbitrary shell execution to the webview. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
Phase 5
Portable handoff. Provide a portable folder export with a JSON manifest and original files. Restore to a separate folder; rebuild disposable indexes from sources. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
Phase 6
Acceptance scenarios. Accept one suggested link and reject another, then rebuild embeddings without changing those decisions; exporting/reimporting retains source URLs. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.
WORKING SLICE Capture short ideas with a global shortcut, browse a loose visual graph and surface related cards for review. Keep source links and a portable Markdown/JSON export. Build this scoped Napkin-inspired workflow with a documented data model and visible failure states. Architecture - Tauri, React and TypeScript for the desktop interface with a narrowly scoped Rust filesystem bridge. - SQLite for structured state and search; user-owned files for original documents and attachments. Prerequisites and limits Node and the Rust toolchain, a supported desktop build environment and an explicitly selected data folder. Remote sync is outside the initial scope. Outside this release: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters Data model and correctness idea cards, capture timestamps, tags, manually accepted links, optional embeddings and source references Invariant: Semantic similarity suggests an association but cannot create an authored link automatically; card IDs survive title changes. Save edits atomically with stable IDs and revision history. Detect external file changes and offer a conflict copy instead of last-write-wins data loss. Security and privacy Limit Tauri capabilities to selected folders and commands. Render imported content without executable HTML, and never expose arbitrary shell execution to the webview. Recovery and export Provide a portable folder export with a JSON manifest and original files. Restore to a separate folder; rebuild disposable indexes from sources. Implementation order 1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Capture short ideas with a global shortcut, browse a loose visual graph and surface related cards for review. Keep source links and a portable Markdown/JSON export. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters 2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model idea cards, capture timestamps, tags, manually accepted links, optional embeddings and source references Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: Semantic similarity suggests an association but cannot create an authored link automatically; card IDs survive title changes. 3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Save edits atomically with stable IDs and revision history. Detect external file changes and offer a conflict copy instead of last-write-wins data loss. 4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Limit Tauri capabilities to selected folders and commands. Render imported content without executable HTML, and never expose arbitrary shell execution to the webview. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results. 5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Provide a portable folder export with a JSON manifest and original files. Restore to a separate folder; rebuild disposable indexes from sources. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README. 6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. Accept one suggested link and reject another, then rebuild embeddings without changing those decisions; exporting/reimporting retains source URLs. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder. Acceptance Accept one suggested link and reject another, then rebuild embeddings without changing those decisions; exporting/reimporting retains source URLs. Use real source data or clearly labeled fixtures. Explain unsupported input and provider failures; do not fabricate analytics, delivery receipts, accuracy claims or security guarantees. Optional agent guidance Optional external skill: [vercel-react-best-practices](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/react-best-practices/SKILL.md) — Improve React and Next.js data fetching, rendering, bundle size and server performance. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Optional external skill: [web-design-guidelines](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/web-design-guidelines/SKILL.md) — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Optional external skill: [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Project rule — data model: idea cards, capture timestamps, tags, manually accepted links, optional embeddings and source references Project rule — preserve this invariant: Semantic similarity suggests an association but cannot create an authored link automatically; card IDs survive title changes. Project rule — acceptance evidence: Accept one suggested link and reject another, then rebuild embeddings without changing those decisions; exporting/reimporting retains source URLs.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md
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Napkin pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| free download / trial | $0/user | $0/user | Subscription is required for continuing use; official listing does not publish a trial length or numeric idea cap |
| all features, monthly | $5/user | — | All app features; offline use with tens of thousands of ideas; iPhone onlyCurrent branded App Store SKU. |
| all features, yearly | — | $3.33/user | All app features; offline use with tens of thousands of ideas; iPhone onlyBilled $40/year; current branded App Store SKU. |
free tierno permanent free tier; trial length and numeric allowance are not published
billingmonthly ($5) + annual ($40/year) through Apple
hidden costsThe App Store also lists older generic $3/month and $30/year SKUs, but their current availability is unclear. Subscription is required, and the rebuilt app currently requires iOS 26 on iPhone.
pricing sources checked 2026-08-13 · pricing source ↗
Questions about Napkin
Can you build your own Napkin with AI?
The verdict is yes for the scoped workflow. Napkin's solo core is compact: build a local-first idea collection app with fast capture, full-text search, backlinks, tags, and Markdown export. A competent builder can reach a useful personal version in one sitting, while the paid product mainly wins on polish, sync, importers.
What does the Napkin build prompt cover?
The prompt starts with this scope: Capture short ideas with a global shortcut, browse a loose visual graph and surface related cards for review. Keep source links and a portable Markdown/JSON export. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters; collaborative editing and sharing. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.
How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?
Start with the Napkin prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.
How long will this Napkin project take?
The catalogue estimate is one sitting for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.
What would I give up by replacing Napkin?
conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters; collaborative editing and sharing; native mobile clients. Napkin: People pay for a writing surface they trust for years, plus migration tools, sync, and tiny interaction details that disappear into habit.
What can I use instead of building Napkin?
Atomic: Short notes turn into a semantic graph without waiting for you to become an archivist. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.