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What does Silver Bullet look like? Well, have a look around. **You’re looking at
it at this very moment!** 🤯
What does Silver Bullet look like? Well, have a look around. **You’re looking at it at this very moment!** 🤯
Note that what you’re looking at is not a fully functional version, because the
_back-end is read-only_. That said, it should give you some feel for what it’s
like to use SB before making the commitment of running a single `npx` command
(see below) to download and run it locally in its fully functioning mode.
Note that what you’re looking at is not a fully functional version, because the _back-end is read-only_. That said, it should give you some feel for what it’s like to use SB before making the commitment of running a single `deno` command (see here: [[Silver Bullet]]) to download and run it locally in its fully functioning mode.
## Start playing
So, feel free to make some edits in this space. Don’t worry, you won’t break
anything, nothing is saved (just reload the page to see).
So, feel free to make some edits in this space. Don’t worry, you won’t break anything, nothing is saved (just reload the page to see).
Here are some things to try:
- Click on the page title (`index` for this particular one) at the top, or hit
`Cmd-k` (Mac) or `Ctrl-k` (Linux and Windows) to open the **page switcher**.
Type the name of a nonexistent page to create it (although it won’t save in
this environment).
- Click on the run button (top right) or hit `Cmd-/` (Mac) or `Ctrl-/` (Linux
and Windows) to open the **command palette** (note not all commands will work
in this quasi read-only mode).
- Select some text and hit `Alt-m` to ==highlight== it, or `Cmd-b` (Mac) or
`Ctrl-b` to make it **bold**.
- Click a link somewhere in this page to navigate there.
- Start typing `[[` somewhere to insert a page link (with completion).
- [ ] Tap this box 👈 to mark this task as done.
- Start typing `:party` to trigger the emoji picker 🎉
- Type `/` somewhere in the text to invoke a **slash command**.
- Hit `Cmd-p` (Mac) or `Ctrl-p` (Windows, Linux) to show a live preview for the
current page on the side, if your brain doesn’t speak native Markdown yet.
- Open this site on your phone or tablet and… it just works!
- Are you using a browser with **PWA support** (e.g. any Chromium-based
browser)? Click on that little icon to the right of your location bar that
says “Install Silver Bullet” to give SB its own window frame and desktop icon,
like it is a stand-alone app (not particularly useful on silverbullet.md, but
definitely do this once you install it yourself).
* Click on the page title (`index` for this particular one) at the top, or hit `Cmd-k` (Mac) or `Ctrl-k` (Linux and Windows) to open the **page switcher**. Type the name of a nonexistent page to create it (although it won’t save in this environment).
* Click on the run button (top right) or hit `Cmd-/` (Mac) or `Ctrl-/` (Linux and Windows) to open the **command palette** (note not all commands will work in this quasi read-only mode).
* Select some text and hit `Alt-m` to ==highlight== it, or `Cmd-b` (Mac) or `Ctrl-b` to make it **bold**.
* Click a link somewhere in this page to navigate there.
* Start typing `[[` somewhere to insert a page link (with completion).
* [ ] Tap this box 👈 to mark this task as done.
* Start typing `:party` to trigger the emoji picker 🎉
* Type `/` somewhere in the text to invoke a **slash command**.
* Hit `Cmd-p` (Mac) or `Ctrl-p` (Windows, Linux) to show a live preview for the current page on the side, if your brain doesn’t speak native Markdown yet.
* Open this site on your phone or tablet and… it just works!
* Are you using a browser with **PWA support** (e.g. any Chromium-based
browser)? Click on that little icon to the right of your location bar that says “Install Silver Bullet” to give SB its own window frame and desktop icon, like it is a stand-alone app (not particularly useful on silverbullet.md, but definitely do this once you install it yourself).
There are a few features you don’t get to fully experience in this environment,
because they rely on a working back-end, such as:
There are a few features you don’t get to fully experience in this environment, because they rely on a working back-end, such as:
- Using SB’s powerful page indexing and **query mechanism** where part of pages
are automatically rendered and kept up to date by querying various data
sources (such as pages and their metadata, back links, tasks embedded in
pages, and list items) with an SQL like syntax, rendered with handlebars
templates.
- Intelligent **page renaming**, automatically updating any pages that link to
it.
- **Full text search**.
- **Extending** and updating SB’s functionality by installing additional [[🔌
Plugs]] (SB parlance for plug-ins) and writing your own.
* Using SB’s powerful page indexing and **query mechanism** where part of pages are automatically rendered and kept up to date by querying various data sources (such as pages and their metadata, back links, tasks embedded in pages, and list items) with an SQL like syntax, rendered with handlebars templates.
* Intelligent **page renaming**, automatically updating any pages that link to it.
* **Full text search**.
* **Extending** and updating SB’s functionality by installing additional [[🔌 Plugs]] (SB parlance for plug-ins) and writing your own.
That’s all, now go install this baby already!
Instructions here 👉 [[Silver Bullet]]

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## Markdown as a platform
Silver Bullet (SB) is highly-extensible,
[open source](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet) **personal
Silver Bullet (SB) is highly-extensible, [open source](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet) **personal
knowledge management** software. Indeed, that’s fancy language for “a note taking app with links.”
Here is a screenshot:
![Silver Bullet PWA screenshot](silverbullet-pwa.png)
At its core, SB is a Markdown editor that stores _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. 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. To get a good feel for it, [watch this video](https://youtu.be/RYdc3UF9gok).
## Extensions
What type of extensions, you ask? Let us demonstrate this in a very meta way: by querying a list of plugs and injecting it into this page!
Here’s a list of (non-built-in) plugs documented in this space (note the
`#query` ... `/query` notation used):
<!-- #query page where type = "plug" order by name render [[template/plug]] -->
* [[🔌 Backlinks]] by **Guillermo Vayá** ([repo](https://github.com/Willyfrog/silverbullet-backlinks))
* [[🔌 Core]] by **Silver Bullet Authors** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet))
* [[🔌 Directive]] by **Silver Bullet Authors** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet))
* [[🔌 Ghost]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-ghost))
* [[🔌 Git]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-github))
* [[🔌 Github]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-github))
* [[🔌 Mattermost]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-mattermost))
* [[🔌 Serendipity]] by **Pantelis Vratsalis** ([repo](https://github.com/m1lt0n/silverbullet-serendipity))
<!-- /query -->
In a regular SB installation, the body of this query 👆 (in between the
placeholders) would automatically be kept up to date as new pages are added to the space that match the query. 🤯 Have a look at the [[template/plug]] _template_ (referenced in the `render` clause) to see how the results are rendered using handlebars syntax and have a look at one of the linked pages to see how the _metadata_ is specified, which is subsequently used to query and render in this page. And to learn about the specific plug, of course.
And then, [give it a try in our Sandbox](https://demo.silverbullet.md/Sandbox).
## Explore more
Click on the links below to explore various aspects of Silver Bullet more
in-depth:
- [[CHANGELOG]]
- [[🤯 Features]]
- [[💡 Inspiration]]
- [[🔌 Plugs]]
- [[🔨 Development]]
* [[CHANGELOG]] — what’s new?
* [[🤯 Features]]
* [[💡 Inspiration]]
* [[🔌 Plugs]]
* [[🔨 Development]]
More of a video person? Here are two to get you started:
@ -56,18 +35,19 @@ Some core principles that underly Silver Bullet’s philosophy:
- **Extend it your way**. SB is highly extensible with [[🔌 Plugs]], and you can customize it to your liking and your workflows.
## Installing Silver Bullet
This consists of two steps (unless Deno is already installed:
1. Installing Deno
2. Installing Silver Bullet itself
### Installing Deno
Silver Bullet is built using [Deno](https://deno.land). To install Deno on Linux
or Mac run:
Silver Bullet is built using [Deno](https://deno.land). To install Deno on Linux or Mac run:
```shell
curl -fsSL https://deno.land/install.sh | sh
```
This will install Deno into `~/.deno/bin`, add this folder to your `PATH` in
your `~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc` file.
This will install Deno into `~/.deno/bin`, add this folder to your `PATH` in your `~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc` file.
To install Deno on Windows (using Powershell) run:
@ -76,8 +56,7 @@ irm https://deno.land/install.ps1 | iex
```
### Install Silver Bullet
With Deno installed (see instruction above), run:
With Deno installed, run:
```shell
deno install -f --name silverbullet -A --unstable https://get.silverbullet.md

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Inspiration for Silver Bullet comes primarily from
[Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/) and its vast plug-in ecosystem (the
work-in-progress plugs around querying and tasks are inspired by Obsidian’s
tasks and dataview plugins), but also [Roam Research](https://roamresearch.com/)
was an inspiration.
work-in-progress plugs around querying and tasks are inspired by Obsidian’s tasks and dataview plugins), but also [Roam Research](https://roamresearch.com/) was an inspiration.
The way plugs are implemented is a further iteration on how this was done in a
previous project of mine (now defunct) called
[Zed](https://github.com/zedapp/zed) as well as
[Matterless](https://github.com/zefhemel/matterless).
The way plugs are implemented is a further iteration on how this was done in a previous project of mine (now defunct) called [Zed](https://github.com/zedapp/zed) as well as [Matterless](https://github.com/zefhemel/matterless).

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Silver Bullet at its core is bare bones in terms of functionality, most of its
power it gains from **plugs**.
Silver Bullet at its core is bare bones in terms of functionality, most of its power it gains from **plugs**.
Plugs are an extension mechanism (implemented using a library called `plugos`
that runs plug code on the server in a sandboxed v8 node.js process, and in the
browser using web workers). Plugs can hook into SB in various ways: plugs can
extend the Markdown parser and its syntax, define new commands and keybindings,
respond to various events triggered either on the server or client side, as well
as run recurring and background tasks. Plugs can even define their own extension
Plugs are an extension mechanism (implemented using a library called `plugos` that runs plug code on the server in a sandboxed v8 Deno web worker, and in the browser using web workers). Plugs can hook into SB in various ways: plugs can extend the Markdown parser and its syntax, define new commands and keybindings, respond to various events triggered either on the server or client side, as well as run recurring and background tasks. Plugs can even define their own extension
mechanisms through custom events. Each plug runs in its own sandboxed
environment and communicates with SB via _syscalls_ that expose a vast range of
functionality. Plugs can be loaded, unloaded and updated without having to
restart SB itself.
environment and communicates with SB via _syscalls_ that expose a vast range of functionality. Plugs can be loaded, unloaded and updated without having to restart SB itself.
## Directory
<!-- #query page where type = "plug" order by name render [[template/plug]] -->
- [[🔌 Backlinks]] by **Guillermo Vayá**
([repo](https://github.com/Willyfrog/silverbullet-backlinks))
- [[🔌 Ghost]] by **Zef Hemel**
([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-ghost))
- [[🔌 Git]] by **Zef Hemel**
([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-github))
- [[🔌 Github]] by **Zef Hemel**
([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-github))
- [[🔌 Mattermost]] by **Zef Hemel**
([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-mattermost))
- [[🔌 Mount]] by **Zef Hemel**
([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-mount))
- [[🔌 Directive]] by **Silver Bullet Authors**
([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet))
* [[🔌 Backlinks]] by **Guillermo Vayá** ([repo](https://github.com/Willyfrog/silverbullet-backlinks))
* [[🔌 Core]] by **Silver Bullet Authors** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet))
* [[🔌 Directive]] by **Silver Bullet Authors** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet))
* [[🔌 Ghost]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-ghost))
* [[🔌 Git]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-github))
* [[🔌 Github]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-github))
* [[🔌 Mattermost]] by **Zef Hemel** ([repo](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-mattermost))
* [[🔌 Serendipity]] by **Pantelis Vratsalis** ([repo](https://github.com/m1lt0n/silverbullet-serendipity))
<!-- /query -->
## How to develop your own plug
At this stage, to get started, it’s probably easiest to fork one of the existing
plugs found in the [SilverBullet github org](https://github.com/silverbulletmd),
for instance the
[github one](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-github).
The easiest way to get started is to click the “Use this template” on the [silverbullet-plug-template](https://github.com/silverbulletmd/silverbullet-plug-template) repo.
Generally, every plug consists of a YAML manifest file named
`yourplugname.plug.yml`. It’s convenient to have a `package.json` file in your
repo to add any dependencies. One dev dependency you will definitely need is
[@plugos/plugos](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@plugos/plugos) which will supply
you with the `plugos-bundle` command, which is used to “compile” your plug YAML
file into its bundled `.plug.json` form, which Silver Bullet will be able to
load and execute.
`yourplugname.plug.yml`. This file defines all functions that form your plug. To be loadable by Silver Bullet (or any plugos-based system for that matter), it needs to be compiled into a JSON bundle (ending with `.plug.json`).
Generally, the way to invoke `plugos-bundle` is as follows:
Generally, the way to do this is to run `silverbullet plug:compile` as follows:
plugos-bundle yourplugname.plug.yaml
silverbullet plug:compile yourplugname.plug.yaml
This will write out a `yourplugname.plug.json` file into the same folder. For
development it’s convenient to add a `-w` flag to automatically recompile when
changes to the YAML or source files are detected.
However, if you use the plug template, this command is wrapped in your `deno.jsonc` file, so you can just run either:
In order to keep bundles somewhat small, a few dependencies come prebundled with
SB. A the time of this writing:
deno task build
- `yaml` (a YAML reader and stringifier library)
- `@lezer/lr` (a parser library)
- `handlebars`
to build it once, or
If you use any of these, you can add e.g. `--exclude handlebars` to _not_ have
them be included in the bundle (they will be loaded from SB itself).
deno task watch
Once you have a compiled `.plug.json` file you can load it into SB in a few ways
by listing it in your space’s `PLUGS` page.
to build it and rebuild when files are changed.
For development it’s easiest to use the `file:` prefix for this, by adding this
in the `yaml` block section there to your existing list of plugs:
This will write out a `yourplugname.plug.json` file into the same folder.
Once you have a compiled `.plug.json` file you can load it into SB in a few ways by listing it in your space’s `PLUGS` page.
For development it’s easiest to use the `file:` prefix for this, by adding this in the `yaml` block section there to your existing list of plugs:
- file:/home/me/git/yourplugname/yourplugname.plug.json
Reload your list of plugs via the `Plugs: Update` command (`Cmd-Shift-p` on Mac,
`Ctrl-Shift-p` on Linux and Windows) to load the list of plugs from the various
sources on the server and your browser client. No need to reload the page, your
plugs are now active.
Reload your list of plugs via the `Plugs: Update` command (`Cmd-Shift-p` on Mac, `Ctrl-Shift-p` on Linux and Windows) to load the list of plugs from the various sources on the server and your browser client. No need to reload the page, your plugs are now active.
Once you’re happy with your plug, you can distribute it in various ways:
- You can put it on github by simply committing the resulting `.plug.json` file
there and instructing users to point to by adding
`- github:yourgithubuser/yourrepo/yourplugname.plug.json` to their `PLUGS`
file
- Add a release in your github repo and instruct users to add the release as
`- ghr:yourgithubuser/yourrepo` or if they need a spcecific release
`- ghr:yourgithubuser/yourrepo/release-name`
- You can put it on any other web server, and tell people to load it via https,
e.g. `- https://mydomain.com/mypugname.plug.json`.
- You can put it on github by simply committing the resulting `.plug.json` file there and instructing users to point to by adding
`- github:yourgithubuser/yourrepo/yourplugname.plug.json` to their `PLUGS` file
- Add a release in your github repo and instruct users to add the release as `- ghr:yourgithubuser/yourrepo` or if they need a spcecific release `- ghr:yourgithubuser/yourrepo/release-name`
- You can put it on any other web server, and tell people to load it via https, e.g. `- https://mydomain.com/mypugname.plug.json`.
### Recommended development workflow
I develop plugs as follows: in one terminal I have `plugos-bundle -w` running at
all times, constantly recompiling my code as I change it.
I develop plugs as follows: in one terminal I have `deno task watch` running at all times, constantly recompiling my code as I change it.
I also have SB open with a `file:` based link in my `PLUGS` file.
Whenever I want to test a change, I switch to SB, hit `Cmd-Shift-p` and test if
stuff works.
Whenever I want to test a change, I switch to SB, hit `Cmd-Shift-p` and test if stuff works.
Often I also have the `Debug: Show Logs` command running to monitor both server
and client logs for any errors and debug information.
Often I also have the `Debug: Show Logs` command running to monitor both server and client logs for any errors and debug information.

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## Stack
Silver Bullet 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.
[ES Build](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 Oak.
Silver Bullet 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. [ES Build](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 Oak.
## Development
Requirements: [Deno](https://deno.land/) 1.26.
Requirements: [Deno](https://deno.land/) 1.26 or newer.
To run, after clone:
```shell
deno task install
```
To prepare the initial web and plug build run:
```shell
deno task build
```
You can then run the server in “watch mode” (automatically restarting when you
change source files) with:
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>
deno task watch-server <PATH-TO-YOUR-SPACE>
```
After this initial build, it's convenient to run three commands in parallel (in
separate terminals):
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-server <PATH-TO-YOUR-SPACE>
deno task watch-plugs
```

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* **Powerful Markdown editor** at its core (powered by
[CodeMirror](https://codemirror.net))
* **Distraction-free** UI with
[What You See is What You Mean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WYSIWYM)
Markdown editing.
* **Future proof**: stores all notes in a regular folder with markdown files, no
proprietary file formats. While SB uses an SQLite database for indexes, this
database can be wiped and rebuilt based on your pages at any time. Your
Markdown files are the single source of truth.
* **Run anywhere**: run it on your local machine, or install it on a server. You
access it via your web browser (desktop or mobile), or install it as a PWA
(giving it its own window frame and dock/launcher/dock icon).
* **Powerful Markdown editor** at its core (powered by [CodeMirror](https://codemirror.net))
* **Distraction-free** UI with [What You See is What You Mean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WYSIWYM) markdown editing.
* **Future proof**: stores all notes in a regular folder with markdown files, no proprietary file formats. While SB uses an SQLite database for indexes, this database can be wiped and rebuilt based on your pages at any time. Your markdown files are the single source of truth.
* **Run anywhere**: run it on your local machine, or install it on a server. You access it via your web browser (desktop or mobile), or install it as a PWA (giving it its own window frame and dock/launcher/dock icon).
* **Keyboard oriented:** you can fully operate SB via the keyboard (on
laptop/desktop machines as well as iPads with a keyboard).
* **Extensible** through [[🔌 Plugs]]