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# Flatnotes: Simple Markdown Note-Taking

Flatnotes is a straightforward, self-hosted, markdown-based note-taking application. It's designed for simplicity and efficiency, allowing you to quickly capture ideas, draft content, and organize your notes. A key feature in the Changemaker context is its potential to directly feed into your blog or documentation.

## Key Features

- Markdown First: Write notes using the familiar and versatile Markdown syntax.
- Live Preview: (Often a feature) See how your Markdown will render as you type.
- Tagging/Organization: Organize notes with tags or a folder-like structure.
- Search: Quickly find the information you need within your notes.
- Automatic Saving: Reduces the risk of losing work.
- Simple Interface: Distraction-free writing environment.
- Self-Hosted: Your notes remain private on your server.
- Potential Blog Integration: Notes can be easily copied or potentially directly published to your MkDocs site or other blog platforms that use Markdown.

## Documentation

For more detailed information about Flatnotes, visit the official repository.

## Getting Started with Flatnotes

### Accessing Flatnotes

1. URL: Access Flatnotes locally via `http://localhost:8089/` (or your configured external URL).
2. Login: Flatnotes will have its own authentication. You should have set up credentials during the Changemaker installation or the first time you accessed Flatnotes.

### Basic Usage

1. Creating a New Note:

   - Look for a "New Note" button or similar interface element.
   - Give your note a title.
   - Start typing your content in Markdown in the main editor pane.

2. Writing in Markdown:

   - Use standard Markdown syntax for headings, lists, bold/italic text, links, images, code blocks, etc.
   - Example:

         # My Awesome Idea

         This is a *brilliant* idea that I need to remember.

         ## Steps
         1. Draft initial thoughts.
         2. Research more.
         3. Write a blog post.

         [Link to relevant site](https://example.com)

3. Saving Notes:

   - Flatnotes typically saves your notes automatically as you type or when you switch to another note.

4. Organizing Notes:

   - Explore options for tagging your notes or organizing them into categories/folders if the interface supports it. This helps in managing a large number of notes.

5. Searching Notes:

   - Use the search bar to find notes based on keywords in their title or content.

### Using Flatnotes for Blog/Documentation Content

Flatnotes is excellent for drafting content that will eventually become part of your MkDocs site:

1. Draft Your Article/Page: Write the full content in Flatnotes, focusing on the text and structure.
2. Copy Markdown: Once you're satisfied, select all the text in your note and copy it.
3. Create/Edit MkDocs File:
   - Go to Code Server.
   - Navigate to your `mkdocs/docs/` directory (or a subdirectory like `blog/posts/`).
   - Create a new `.md` file or open an existing one.
   - Paste the Markdown content you copied from Flatnotes.
4. Save and Preview: Save the file in Code Server. If `mkdocs serve` is running, your site will update, and you can preview the new content.

## Further Information

For more specific details on Flatnotes features, customization, or troubleshooting, refer to the official Flatnotes Documentation (as it's a GitHub-hosted project, the README and repository wiki are the primary sources of documentation).