stik_app

stik_app

Instant thought capture for macOS. One shortcut, post-it appears, type, close.

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Stik is an instant thought capture tool for macOS that allows users to quickly jot down notes without any onboarding or account setup. With global shortcuts, users can summon a floating post-it from anywhere, type their thoughts, and close it to save as a plain markdown file. Stik offers features like organizing notes into folders, pinning important notes, rich editor with markdown support, on-device AI for semantic search, smart folder suggestions, and note embeddings, sharing notes in various formats, importing notes from Apple Notes, customizable themes, and more. Users can build Stik from source and contribute to the project. Stik prioritizes user privacy by storing notes locally, running AI on-device, and offering sync options with iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Syncthing, or other syncing services.

README:

Stik icon

Stik

Instant thought capture for macOS.
Press a shortcut. Type your thought. Get back to work.
Under 3 seconds. Every time.

Website · Demo · Ideas Board · X · Discord · Download · Roadmap · Changelog

Latest release License macOS Downloads Stars

Stik demo


Why Stik?

Every note app wants to be your second brain. Stik just wants to catch your thought before it disappears.

No onboarding. No account. No sync setup. Hit Cmd+Shift+S, type, close. Your note is saved as a plain markdown file. That's it.

Install

Homebrew (Recommended)

brew install --cask 0xMassi/stik/stik

Or add the tap first:

brew tap 0xMassi/stik
brew install --cask stik

Direct Download

Grab the latest .dmg from GitHub Releases.

Requires macOS 10.15+. On first launch, grant Accessibility permissions when prompted (needed for global shortcuts).

Update

If you installed via Homebrew:

brew upgrade --cask stik

From v0.3.3 onwards, Stik includes a built-in auto-updater that silently downloads new versions in the background. Updates apply on next app restart.

Features

Capture -- Global shortcuts summon a floating post-it from anywhere. Type, close, done. Notes are saved as markdown in ~/Documents/Stik/.

Organize -- Folders (Inbox, Work, Ideas, or your own). Move notes with a keystroke. Search everything instantly.

Pin -- Keep important notes floating on your desktop as sticky notes.

Rich Editor -- Source-mode markdown with syntax highlighting, ==highlighting==, [[wiki-links]] to other notes, collapsible headings, image paste/drop, task lists, interactive tables, and a link popover for quick editing. Type / for slash commands -- instant templates for meetings, standups, journals, tables, and more. Create your own custom templates in Settings. Optional Vim mode.

On-Device AI -- Semantic search, smart folder suggestions, and note embeddings. Powered by Apple's NaturalLanguage framework. Everything runs locally -- no cloud, no API keys, no data leaves your Mac.

Share -- Copy notes as rich text, markdown, or image. Sync folders via git with background auto-sync.

Import -- Browse and import notes from Apple Notes directly into Stik. No export/import files needed.

Themes -- System, Light, or Dark mode. Switches live, respects macOS appearance.

Remember -- Capture streak tracks your daily note-taking habit. "On This Day" resurfaces notes from past years.

Keyboard Shortcuts

All shortcuts are customizable in Settings.

Shortcut Action
Cmd+Shift+S Capture a new note
Cmd+Shift+P Command Palette (search + folders)
Cmd+Shift+M Command Palette (alt shortcut)
Cmd+Shift+L Reopen last note
Cmd+Shift+, Open settings

Your Data, Your Machine

  • Notes are plain markdown files in ~/Documents/Stik/ -- open them in any editor
  • All AI runs on-device via Apple frameworks -- nothing is sent anywhere
  • No account, no cloud, no tracking, no telemetry
  • Settings stored locally in ~/.stik/
  • Want sync? Just enable iCloud Drive for your Documents folder. Stik works automatically with iCloud, Dropbox, Syncthing, or anything that syncs ~/Documents

Build from Source

Prerequisites

Build

git clone https://github.com/0xMassi/stik_app.git
cd stik_app
npm install
npm run tauri dev      # Development with hot reload
npm run tauri build    # Production .app bundle

Tech Stack

Layer Technology
Frontend React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, CodeMirror 6
Backend Rust, Tauri 2.0
AI DarwinKit (Swift CLI wrapping Apple NaturalLanguage framework)
Storage Local filesystem (.md files), optional git sync

Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please open an issue first to discuss what you'd like to change.

# Check Rust code
cd src-tauri && cargo check

# Format Rust code
cd src-tauri && cargo fmt

# Type check frontend
npm run build

Ideas Board

Got a feature idea or want to vote on what gets built next? Visit the Stik Ideas Board -- sign in with GitHub, submit ideas, upvote your favorites, and discuss with the community. The roadmap is shaped by you.

Support

Have a question, found a bug, or want to request a feature? Reach out at [email protected], join Discord, follow us on X, or open an issue.

License

MIT


Built by Massi
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