STATUS //
Active
STACK //
Markor
Syncthing
Markdown
Hollow
GrapheneOS
Debian
LAST UPDATED //
July 2026
I wanted my notes available across my phone, desktop, and server without
locking them inside another proprietary notes app or sync platform.
The solution ended up being super simple: plain Markdown files, Markor
for writing on mobile, and Syncthing keeping everything in sync through
my server.
WHY PLAIN TEXT //
Why use anything more complicated? This post itself was written as a
plain-text file.
Markdown is supported almost everywhere, and the files remain readable
without any special software.
With Docsify running on my homelab, I can also turn a plain Markdown
file into a browsable website in seconds without a build process. That
is incredibly useful when I need to pull up the runbook.
HOW IT WORKS //
Nexus acts as the main always-on sync point. Syncthing keeps the same
files available on Hollow, my main desktop, and my phone.
Markor handles writing on mobile, while Hollow can use any editor that
understands Markdown. The notes never stop being ordinary files, so they
remain easy to copy, back up, or open somewhere else.
I also keep a smaller Mobile Quick Reference file synced alongside
everything else. Docsify is convenient, but it depends on Nexus, Caddy,
and DNS all being up at the same time. If any of that goes down, the
Quick Reference is still just a plain file sitting in Markor, readable
with zero dependencies.
BACKUPS //
Syncthing keeps the files available everywhere and updates them quickly,
but synchronization is not a backup. A deletion or bad edit can spread
just as fast as a useful change. That is the one major weakness of the
system.
For that reason, the notes are also included in my encrypted backup
routine, with automated cloud and manual off-site copies. That gives me
a way back when something inevitably fucks up.
The end result is boring in the best way: plain files I can read
anywhere, back up myself, and keep out of another big tech account.