Writing mode

Writing Mode is a focused writing area that takes over the canvas for a concept’s notes while the node Inspector stays visible docked on the right. The Inspector panel is comfortable for a short definition; Writing Mode is where longer thinking happens.

Opening and closing

1. Select a concept so the Inspector shows it.
2. In the Inspector, click the full-width Write button.

The canvas gives way to a centered serif column headed by the concept’s name, with its definition shown read-only underneath as brief context; the Inspector remains docked on the right the whole time. Press Esc or the close button to exit back to the canvas exactly where you were. If the slash menu is open, the first Esc closes the menu; a second Esc then closes Writing Mode.

Writing

The editor is a rich-text editor: headings, lists, quotes, and dividers work the way you expect. Type / on an empty spot to open the snippet menu:

• Heading 2 / Heading 3: structure long notes
• Bullet list / Numbered list
• Quote
• Divider
• Callout: a highlighted note box
• Example: a worked-example box

Valid edits are committed immediately to the graph and then persisted by the graph’s existing autosave. While Writing Mode is open, canvas shortcuts (including undo on the graph) are suppressed; the editor owns its own undo while you are inside it. Notes edits do not add entries to the graph undo history.

How notes are stored

Notes are stored with the graph exactly as the editor produces them (IndexedDB for web graphs, project files on desktop), including custom blocks like callouts and examples. A concept’s elaboration carries a short definition (still editable inline in the Inspector) plus optional notes. Clearing all text from Writing Mode removes the notes entirely instead of leaving an empty document behind. Graph files that contain blocks a given app version does not know still load: unknown blocks show as their plain text, so content is never destroyed. If you edit such a document, those unknown blocks are kept as their flattened plain text, so their structure is not preserved; supported blocks like callouts and examples round-trip exactly. This is part of the graph file compatibility promise. See Graph management for the full picture.