May 18, 2026
Markdown and let loose
Show HN: Files.md – open-source alternative to Obsidian
A bare-bones note app shows up and the crowd instantly cheers, compares, and nitpicks mobile bugs
TLDR: Files.md is a new open-source note app that keeps everything in simple text files, runs in a browser, and even lets you save notes through Telegram. Commenters loved the clean vibe, but quickly turned the thread into a mix of praise, rival app comparisons, and mobile bug complaints.
A new project called Files.md has entered the eternal "yet another notes app" arena, and the community reaction is basically: wait, this one is kind of charming. The pitch is simple enough for normal humans: write your notes in plain text files, keep them on your own device, use a browser instead of installing a giant app, and even message a Telegram bot when inspiration strikes. In a world where note apps keep trying to become your therapist, life coach, and project manager, Files.md is selling restraint as the big feature.
The strongest mood in the comments is warm approval. Multiple people are openly swooning over the look and feel, with one commenter practically giving it a runway review: "I really like the look and feel!" Another applauds the idea but immediately throws a rival into the ring, suggesting TiddlyWiki like a friend saying, "Cute app, but have you met my other favorite?" So yes, the low-stakes drama here is classic note-taking app politics: every new tool is welcomed, then instantly compared to an older cult favorite.
And then came the tiny but juicy reality check: mobile Safari trouble. One user asked why inline links don’t work on iPhone, which is exactly the kind of bug report that turns "beautiful minimal tool" into "okay but does it actually work on my phone?" The creator leaned into the ideology hard, saying you should own not just your files, but the software too, and even hinted that an artificial intelligence helper could tweak the code for you. That gave the whole thread a very 2020s flavor: part minimalist rebellion, part open-source sermon, part "LLM can fix it."
Key Points
- •Files.md is presented as a local-first, open-source markdown application that stores information in plain `.md` files and can be accessed through a web app and Telegram bot.
- •The article says the app works in a browser, supports offline use, and can synchronize through either a single-binary server or cloud storage services such as iCloud, Dropbox, and Google Drive.
- •Its workflow centers on quickly capturing information in a chat interface and then organizing it into journals, tasks, checklists, or other note categories.
- •The article recommends a note-taking method based on one idea per note, context-independent notes, links between related notes, and periodic review.
- •The author says this approach was used over five years to connect ideas across domains and produce writing such as *Cognitive Load in Software Development*.