Hey Product Hunt! 👋
I'm Mares, the maker behind HermesMarkdown.
The idea started from a simple frustration: I wanted a writing tool I could actually trust. No cloud sync quietly uploading my drafts, no subscription holding my notes hostage, no AI training on my private thoughts. Just me, my files, and fast Markdown.
So I built it. HermesMarkdown lives entirely on your device — it reads directly from your local file system via the File System Access API, so your vault is literally just a folder of `.md` files you own forever.
A few things I'm particularly proud of:
- Zen Mode — focus on one line at a time, no visual noise
- Smart syntax — clickable `#tags` that cycle workflow states, `calc()` inline expressions, auto-summing budget lines
- Zero lock-in — plain Markdown files, readable by anything, forever
Would love to hear what the PH community thinks — especially if you've felt overwhelmed by cloud-first note tools before. What's the one writing feature you always wished existed? Drop it below 👇
Thanks for hunting us! 🚀
@marespopa The local-first approach is refreshing—tired of tools that treat your writing as a data asset. Zen Mode sounds like it addresses real cognitive load. One question: does the File System Access API give you the flexibility you need to watch for external file changes, or does that require manual refresh.
@saulfleischman Great question! The File System Access API doesn't natively watch for external changes, so right now it does require a manual refresh.
That said, it's on the roadmap — I'm exploring a polling-based workaround since true file watching isn't exposed by the API yet.
Congrats on the launch, this looks really nice. I'm a long-time Obsidian user, so I'm curious how you think about the two. What does Hermes do differently for someone who's already happy in Obsidian, or is it aimed at a different kind of user?
@alexgodbehere Thanks! Honestly, if you're happy in Obsidian, you might not need HermesMarkdown — and I'd rather say that than oversell.
Obsidian is a knowledge graph. It rewards the people who enjoy building a second brain, linking notes, and maintaining a vault over time. It's powerful, and that power has a cost: setup, plugins, maintenance.
HermesMarkdown is for the moment before all that. No install, open a URL, write. It's aimed at the developer or writer who wants a fast, private, distraction-free editor — not a system.
Replies
Hermes Markdown
RiteKit Company Logo API
@marespopa The local-first approach is refreshing—tired of tools that treat your writing as a data asset. Zen Mode sounds like it addresses real cognitive load. One question: does the File System Access API give you the flexibility you need to watch for external file changes, or does that require manual refresh.
Hermes Markdown
Trace
Congrats on the launch, this looks really nice. I'm a long-time Obsidian user, so I'm curious how you think about the two. What does Hermes do differently for someone who's already happy in Obsidian, or is it aimed at a different kind of user?
Hermes Markdown
@alexgodbehere Thanks! Honestly, if you're happy in Obsidian, you might not need HermesMarkdown — and I'd rather say that than oversell.
Obsidian is a knowledge graph. It rewards the people who enjoy building a second brain, linking notes, and maintaining a vault over time. It's powerful, and that power has a cost: setup, plugins, maintenance.
HermesMarkdown is for the moment before all that. No install, open a URL, write. It's aimed at the developer or writer who wants a fast, private, distraction-free editor — not a system.