Non-Linear is a local-first visual knowledge workspace that lets you think spatially. Switch instantly between a free-form infinite canvas (drag, connect, cluster) and a live force-directed graph (auto-layout, filters, physics). All data stays in your browser — no accounts, no cloud, no latency.
Hey hunters!
I built Non-Linear because I kept hitting the same wall with every note app: my thinking isn't linear, but my tools force it to be.
Folders. Pages. Outlines. They're great for filing — terrible for thinking. When I'm exploring an idea, I need to spread things out, see what connects to what, move stuff around until the structure emerges. Not decide the structure upfront.
Non-Linear gives you two ways to work with the same notes:
Canvas — An infinite whiteboard. Drop notes anywhere. Draw connections. Cluster related ideas. Resize cards to show importance. It's spatial thinking, unrestricted.
Graph — One click, and your notes become a living force-directed map. Nodes pull together by connection, push apart by relevance. Click a node → its neighbors glow, the rest dim. Filter by "show me only concepts with 3+ connections." Adjust the physics until the shape feels right.
Switch instantly. Your layout in Canvas becomes the starting point for Graph. Pins in Graph persist back to Canvas. It's the same document, two lenses.
A few things that make it feel different:
Zero setup — Open the link, get a pre-built "Getting Started" map (programming concepts). Start clicking immediately.
Stays with you — Everything saves to your browser (IndexedDB). No account, no cloud, works offline. Close the tab for a month — your graph is exactly where you left it.
Keyboard-first — N for new note, G for graph, C for canvas, Cmd+K for commands. Stay in flow.
Four note types — Concept (big ideas), Text (details), Code (snippets), Images (refs). Each sizes itself to its content.
The graph isn't a screenshot — it's a live simulation. Drag a node, the rest reorganize. Pin the ones that matter. Watch clusters form naturally.
Would genuinely love to hear:
What's the first thing you'd map? (A project? A paper? A codebase? A life decision?)
What's missing from the note types?
Does the graph physics feel intuitive, or do you fight it?
Thanks for hunting! 🚀