Position is state
An idea’s node is its stage. Moving it across the canvas changes its state.
VOTIVEAVAILABLE NOW · WINDOWS
Let ideas settle
into judgment.
Votive is a local-first spatial thinking canvas. Position carries state, connections carry relationships, and size carries weight—so accumulated ideas can be arranged, connected, and weighed.
Windows 10/11 · x64 · Free · No account required
SPACE IS STRUCTURE
Space is not decoration.
Space is the structure.
Votive gives you direct control over only a few essential dimensions. Everything else is expressed through visual encoding, keeping the canvas rich without making it fragile.
Connection is relationship
Directed and bidirectional links express flow, dependency, and association without hiding them in tables.
Size is weight
Important material earns more visual space, helping consequential questions emerge from the backlog.
FROM ACCUMULATION TO JUDGMENT
The goal is not to capture more.
It is to move accumulation toward a decision.
Capture
Record an idea before it is fully formed.
Arrange
Place it in a state and position you define.
Connect
Expose dependencies, associations, and possible paths.
Weigh
Use visual weight, votes, and history to form judgment.
Settle
Export mature material to Obsidian for long-term storage.
BUILT FOR SERIOUS THINKING
A restrained, dependable canvas for ideas.
Editable workflows
Define state nodes, positions, and transitions so the canvas follows the way you think.
Local-first
Core data stays on your device. No account and no persistent connection are required.
Obsidian export
Export mature material to frontmatter-rich Markdown for long-term knowledge storage.
Backup and audit
Full backup, recovery, and operation records keep important changes inspectable and recoverable.
Search and trash
Full-text search resurfaces accumulated ideas; deletion goes through trash first.
Todo and calendar
Lightweight task and calendar support stays connected to ideas without becoming an all-in-one workspace.
A DELIBERATE BOUNDARY
It is not another universal whiteboard.
Votive does not chase free-form drawing, real-time multiplayer collaboration, or an unlimited plugin surface. It focuses on ideas, states, and relationships so accumulation can lead to judgment. It is not an Obsidian replacement; it is the spatial thinking layer before long-term storage.
- Not a general whiteboard
- Not a conventional notes app
- Not an Obsidian replacement
COMING NEXT
The Agent will read the canvas without taking it over.
The future Agent will reason from nodes, links, and weight to surface backlogs, relationships, and unresolved choices. It will default to suggestions, keep actions auditable, and leave the data boundary in your hands.
LOCAL-FIRST BY DEFAULT
Your ideas belong on your device first.
- No account required
- Idea content is not uploaded by default
- Local SQLite storage
- Backup, restore, and export included
DOWNLOAD
Download for free and start shaping your landscape of ideas.
The current release supports Windows 10/11 on x64. Core features are permanently free. A macOS edition is planned, but no official package is available yet.
Download for Windows Version and SHA-256 details