The Markpad blog

Writing on private,
connected thinking.

Essays and field notes on local-first software, Markdown workflows, and building a calmer, more connected practice of thinking.

Markpad vs. Obsidian

Both are Markdown apps built around backlinks. They're built on opposite bets — one on extensibility, the other on not needing any.

Filing systems ask you to decide where an idea belongs before you understand it. Backlinks let the connections show up on their own.

Good security is invisible until you go looking for it. Here's what actually happens to your notes before they're saved.

Not every thought deserves its own note. Some just need somewhere to land.