silverbullet/README.md

# SilverBullet

SilverBullet is an extensible, open source **personal knowledge
platform**. At its core it’s a clean markdown-based writing/note taking
application that stores your _pages_ (notes) as plain markdown files in a folder
referred to as a _space_. Pages can be cross-linked using the
`[[link to other page]]` syntax. This makes it a simple tool for
[Personal Knowledge Management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_knowledge_management).
However, once you leverage its various extensions (called _plugs_) it can feel
more like a _knowledge platform_, allowing you to annotate, combine and query
your accumulated knowledge in creative ways specific to you.

<img src="https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet/raw/main/website/silverbullet-pwa.png" height="400"/><img src="https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet/raw/main/website/silverbullet-ios.png" height="400"/>

SilverBullet is implemented as an offline-first PWA: it syncs all your content into the client (browser) and performs most processing there, allowing full offline operation after first load.

For more in-depth information, an interactive demo, and links to more
background, check out the [SilverBullet website](https://silverbullet.md)
(published from this repo’s `website/` folder).

Or checkout these two videos:

- [A Tour of some of SilverBullet’s features](https://youtu.be/VemS-cqAD5k) —
  spoiler alert: it’s cool.
- [A look the SilverBullet architecture](https://youtu.be/mXCGau05p5o) — spoiler
  alert: it’s plugs all the way down.

## Features

- **Free and open source**. SilverBullet is MIT licensed.
- **The truth is in the markdown.** SilverBullet doesn’t use proprietary file
  formats. It keeps its data as plain markdown files on disk. While SB uses a
  database for indexing and caching some indexes, all of that can be rebuilt
  from its markdown source at any time. If SB would ever go away, you can still
  read your pages with any text editor.
- **One single, distraction free mode.** SB doesn’t have a separate view and
  edit mode. It doesn’t have a “focus mode.” You’re always in focused edit mode,
  why wouldn’t you?
- **Keyboard oriented**. You can use SB fully using the keyboard, typin’ the
  keys.
- **Extend it your way**. SB is highly extensible with
  [plugs](https://silverbullet.md/🔌_Plugs), and you can customize it to your
  liking and your workflows.

## Installing SilverBullet
Check out the [official website](https://silverbullet.md)
## Troubleshooting

If you upgraded to the new Deno-based SilverBullet from an old version, you may
have to use the `silverbullet fix <pages-path>` command to flush out your old
database and plugs. Plugs will likely need to be updated.

## Developing SilverBullet

[![Open in Gitpod](https://gitpod.io/button/open-in-gitpod.svg)](https://gitpod.io/#https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet)

SilverBullet is written in [TypeScript](https://www.typescriptlang.org/) and
built on top of the excellent [CodeMirror 6](https://codemirror.net/) editor
component. Additional UI is built using [Preact](https://preactjs.com).
[ESBuild]([https://parceljs.org/](https://esbuild.github.io)) is used to build both the front-end and
back-end bundles. The server backend runs as a HTTP server on Deno using and is written using [Oak](https://oakserver.github.io/oak/).

To prepare the initial web and plug build run:

```shell
deno task build
```

To symlink `silverbullet` to your locally checked-out version, run:

```shell
deno task install
```

You can then run the server in “watch mode” (automatically restarting when you
change source files) with:

```shell
deno task watch-server <PATH-TO-YOUR-SPACE>
```

After this initial build, it's convenient to run three commands in parallel (in
separate terminals):

```shell
deno task watch-web
deno task watch-server <PATH-TO-YOUR-SPACE>
deno task watch-plugs
```

To typecheck the entire codebase (recommended before submitting PR):
```shell
deno task check
```

To run unit tests:
```shell
deno task test
```
## Feedback

If you (hypothetically) find bugs or have feature requests, post them in
[our issue tracker](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet/issues).
Would you like to contribute?
[Check out the code](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet), and the
issue tracker as well for ideas on what to work on.