File System & Data 11
Your vault is a folder. No database. No lock-in. Plain files you own.
Vault = folderEvery group is a directory. Every sheet is a
.md file.YAML frontmatterMetadata in the file itself: title, tags, dates, goals. Compatible with Obsidian and Hugo.
Real-time syncFilesystem watcher plus polling detects external changes instantly.
Native Rust scanVault scanner built in Rust with parallel file parsing. 118K files (87 MB) in ~4 seconds.
Large file supportFiles over 1 MB skip per-keystroke stats and inline keyword scanning. Handles 78 MB files smoothly.
Trash & restoreDeleted sheets move to a trash folder. Nothing is lost until you empty the trash.
Reveal in FinderRight-click any group, sheet, or reference file to show it in Finder.
Duplicate detectionFiles duplicated on disk get unique IDs automatically. No collisions.
Conflict resolutionAuto-detects and merges duplicate files from iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Syncthing. Three-tier merge with side-by-side resolver for overlapping edits.
Hidden metadataInternal data stored in
_kavya/. Sandbox-compatible. Auto-migrates from older .kavya/ directory.Ulysses importImport your entire Ulysses library without losing structure.
Organization 14
A three-panel layout that maps to real folders on your disk.
Three-panel layoutLibrary on the left, sheets in the middle, editor on the right. Zero learning curve.
Active, On Hold & ArchiveThree sections for folders (GTD-aligned). Move between them via right-click.
Nested groupsUnlimited folder hierarchy mapped to real directories on disk.
Drag-and-dropReorder groups with a blue line indicator. Nest them with a green highlight.
Tags & keywordsTag sheets with colored keywords. Filter by tag across the entire vault. Stored in YAML frontmatter.
Smart filtersBuilt-in filters: All, Last 7 Days, Favorites, Trash.
Side-by-side submenusRight-click context menu with native-style submenus for Schedule, Tag, and Move actions.
Session persistenceApp restores your last view (Notes or Tasks mode) on relaunch.
Custom group iconsPick icons and colors for any group. Visual cues make large vaults navigable.
Resizable panelsDrag edges between panels to resize. Double-click to reset defaults. Widths persist across sessions.
Swipe gesturesTrackpad swipe to cycle panels: full layout → sheets+editor → zen → Action Board.
Full-text search
Cmd+Shift+F to search across all sheets. Debounced input with centered match snippets.Virtual scrollingSheet list uses virtual scrolling for smooth performance with thousands of items.
Shortcuts modal
Cmd+/ to see all keyboard shortcuts in a searchable overlay.Editor 23
A Markdown editor built for prose, powered by CodeMirror 6.
CodeMirror 6Fast, accessible Markdown editor with full syntax highlighting. Handles large documents without lag.
Bundled fontsSix variable fonts included: Inter, iA Writer Duo, Literata, Source Serif 4, JetBrains Mono, Roboto Mono. All OFL-licensed.
Typography panelThe Aa button in the markup bar. Change font family, font size, line height, and letter spacing. Settings persist across sessions.
Smart typographyAuto-converts straight quotes to curly quotes (“”) or guillemets (« »),
-- to em dash, ... to ellipsis.Focus modeDims everything except the current paragraph. Paragraph-aware, matching how prose writers actually think.
Typewriter modeKeeps the active line centered on screen, so your eyes never chase the cursor.
Zen modeHides all panels for distraction-free writing. Just you and the text.
Reading previewToggle rendered Markdown preview with zoom controls (+/−). Zoom level persists across sessions.
Split viewEdit two sheets side by side. Or view a Markdown preview next to your source.
Outline panelShows all headings. Click to jump. Drag to reorder sections.
Configurable toolbarsRight-click the markup bar or top toolbar to show/hide buttons. Add bullet list, blockquote, strikethrough, and more.
List continuationEnter continues
- , * , 1. (auto-increment), and > prefixes. Empty prefix exits.Smart pastePaste HTML from the web and get clean Markdown: bold, links, headings, lists, code blocks.
Sentence navigation
Ctrl+. / Ctrl+, to jump between sentences. Abbreviation-aware.Find & replace
Cmd+F to find, Cmd+H for find and replace. Regex support. Highlight all matches.Inline image previewImages render directly in the editor, replacing the raw Markdown. Hover to delete. No code visible.
Spell checkNative macOS spell check. Red underlines, right-click suggestions, auto-correct.
Cursor & scroll restoreReopening a sheet restores your exact cursor position and scroll offset.
Mode toggle
Ctrl+J toggles between Notes and Action Board from anywhere, even mid-editing.Style checkToggle inline writing diagnostics that flag passive voice, adverbs, and weasel words as you write.
Glue sheetsCombine multiple sheets into a single continuous editing view. Scrivener-style Scrivenings mode for Markdown.
Four themesLight, Dark, Sepia, and Ocean. Cycle through them with one click.
Multiple timersRun concurrent writing timers with individual stop buttons and a combined countdown label.
Writing Tools 13
Goals, statistics, and utilities to keep you productive.
Writing goalsSet word count targets per sheet. An animated progress ring tracks how close you are.
Live statisticsWords, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and estimated reading time.
Split sheet
Cmd+Shift+D splits a sheet into two at the cursor position.Merge sheetsSelect multiple sheets, right-click to combine. Originals go to trash (restorable).
FavoritesStar sheets for quick access. Favorites appear in the smart filter sidebar.
Attachments & notesAttach files and annotations to any sheet. Images display inline.
Multi-windowOpen additional app windows or open a sheet in its own window with
Cmd+Shift+O.Inbox age tintingInbox sheets subtly colorize as they age: grey, orange, then red border and background.
Onboarding tourFirst-run guided spotlight tour introducing the three-panel layout, shortcuts, and key features.
Recurring tasksSet daily, weekly, or monthly recurrence. Completing a recurring task auto-creates the next occurrence. Overdue tasks fast-forward to the next future date.
RemindersSet reminder times on kanban cards. In-app banner slides down at the set time; native macOS notification fires when backgrounded.
Version historySnapshots saved automatically every five minutes. Browse, preview, and restore previous versions from the context menu.
Email exportSend sheet content via your default email client. Works in sandboxed and non-sandboxed builds.
Knowledge Tools 9
Inspired by Obsidian. Connect ideas across your vault.
WikilinksType
[[ to link between sheets. Links are clickable in the editor.Wikilink autocompleteFuzzy-search dropdown when you type
[[. Recently visited sheets appear first.BacklinksSee every sheet that links to the current one with context snippets and highlighted wikilinks. Click to scroll to the exact line. Fast even with 21K+ sheets.
Quick switcher
Cmd+O to fuzzy-search and jump to any sheet instantly.Command palette
Cmd+Shift+P to find and run any command.Daily notes
Ctrl+D creates or opens today’s journal entry in Journal/YYYY/MM MonthName/.TemplatesCreate sheets from reusable templates stored in your vault.
Deep linksEvery sheet has a
kavya://sheet/<id> URL. Press Cmd+L to copy it.Navigation history
Cmd+[ / Cmd+] to revisit sheets. Like a browser, but for notes.Action Board 19
A board that answers one question: when will I work on this? Drop sheets into Inbox, then drag them to Today, Week, Month, or Someday. The rhythm is simple: every day, review Today and Week to decide what to do now. Every Monday, review Month to fill your week. Every first of the month, review Someday to plan ahead.
Kanban columnsOrganize sheets into Inbox, Today, Week, Month, Someday. Drag-and-drop between columns.
Calendar viewAssign sheets to specific dates. View them in a monthly calendar.
Calendar quick-add
+ button on calendar days to create a new sheet pre-assigned to that date.Calendar context menuRight-click calendar cards for schedule, tag, move, and trash actions.
Instant actionsRemove, move, and trash cards with immediate visual feedback.
Group header dragDrag group headers to move entire groups between columns at once.
Trash from boardDelete sheets directly from the kanban. X button or right-click. Undo support.
Send via EmailEmail a column as a checklist. Opens your default mail client with items in the body.
Save as HTML fileExport a column as a standalone HTML checklist with interactive checkboxes. Save anywhere.
Copy as textPlain-text checklist to clipboard. Paste anywhere.
Copy as cardRich HTML card to clipboard. Paste in Apple Notes for a formatted overview.
Copy as imagePNG card to clipboard. Share a snapshot of your plan.
Inline card creationThe + button opens a title input right in the column. Name your card before it exists.
Calendar alert dotA blinking dot on the Calendar button when items are due today.
View tabsFile-cabinet tabs (Schedule, Week, Calendar, Activity) at the top of every board for instant view switching.
Board searchPress
/ to search cards in Schedule, Week, and Calendar views. Arrow keys navigate matches, Enter opens the sheet.Week start toggleChoose Monday or Sunday as the first day of the week in Calendar and Week views.
Inline card editingDouble-click any card to edit its full Markdown content on the board. Saves on blur, Escape to cancel.
Full-width boardAction Board spans the entire window in tasks mode, using every pixel.
AI Chat 12
Multi-model AI in a resizable sidebar. Bring your own keys.
Three providersClaude (Sonnet 4.5, Haiku 4.5), OpenAI (GPT-4o, GPT-4o Mini, o3-mini), Google Gemini (2.0 Flash, 2.0 Pro). All API-based, bring your own key.
Streaming responsesReal-time token streaming via SSE for all API providers.
Document-awareThe AI sees your current sheet and can suggest edits, insert text, or rewrite sections.
Tool useClaude API can directly edit your document: insert, replace, or rewrite sections.
Chat tabsMultiple named sessions. Switch, rename, delete. Each tab keeps its own model and history.
Insert & SaveInsert AI responses directly into the editor, or save them as a new sheet.
API key managementSettings modal to enter or update keys per provider. Keys persist across sessions.
Resizable sidebarChat panel on the right with a drag handle. Pushes the editor. Hides when closed.
Research & Reference Files 6
Drop PDFs and EPUBs into your vault. Read them alongside your notes.
PDF viewerRead PDFs without leaving the app. Drop them into any group.
EPUB readerBuilt-in EPUB reader with page navigation. Read books alongside your notes.
Image viewerView images inline. Drop screenshots, diagrams, or photos into any group.
Separate from notesReference files never appear in the sheet list. Your writing space stays clean.
File managementRight-click for Delete, Move to, Open Externally, or Reveal in Finder.
Smart drag-and-dropFiles import into the selected group. Duplicate detection alerts before creating copies.
Export 5
Take your writing anywhere. Four formats, one shortcut.
MarkdownCopy or save as
.md. Strips frontmatter, keeps the content.HTMLRendered Markdown to clipboard or file. Proper headings, lists, code blocks, links.
PDFFormatted export with proper typography. XSS-sanitized for safety.
DOCXWord document export for editors, publishers, or anyone who needs
.docx.EmailSend sheet content via your default email client. Opens a pre-filled message with one click.
Keyboard Shortcuts 25
Every action from the keyboard. No mouse required.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd+N | New sheet |
| Ctrl+D | Daily note |
| Ctrl+T | New task (tagged inbox) |
| Cmd+O | Quick switcher |
| Cmd+Shift+P | Command palette |
| Cmd+F | Find & replace |
| Cmd+Shift+F | Search all sheets |
| Cmd+L | Copy deep link |
| Cmd+Shift+O | Open in new window |
| Cmd+E | Export sheet |
| Cmd+Shift+D | Split at cursor |
| Cmd+B | Bold |
| Cmd+I | Italic |
| Cmd+K | Insert link |
| Cmd+Shift+K | Inline code |
| Cmd+1 | Toggle library |
| Cmd+2 | Toggle sheets |
| Cmd+3 | Focus-only |
| Cmd+[ | Navigate back |
| Cmd+] | Navigate forward |
| Cmd+Up/Down | Navigate sheets |
| Ctrl+. | Next sentence |
| Ctrl+, | Previous sentence |
| Ctrl+J | Toggle Notes / Action Board |
| Escape | Return to sheet list |
