FromScratch 1.4.3

Take notes, create to-do lists, or simply write down ideas with the help of this minimalist app

Note-taking apps are usually great, as they allow us to quickly write down thoughts, create to-do lists, organize work, and help us learn more efficiently.

FromScratch is a new-age note-taking app that takes the classic recipe and throws it out the window. Its ultimate goal? To help you become as productive and as less distracted as possible.

What makes FromScratch different from other apps?

We don’t usually think about the GUI of note-taking apps. If they do their job right, they’re usually fine for most people. However, the large majority of note-taking apps have mouse-based controls.

While this makes the apps user-friendly, it also forces you to take one hand off the keyboard to edit and manage the notes you write, which can ultimately become a waste of time.

FromScratch proposes an alternative solution, one that involves only the use of the keyboard. To put it as simply as possible and to quote the app’s official description, “the only UI is the text you type.” It has automatic indenting, a smart autosave function, and replaces the common syntax with symbols (such as arrows, for example).

This makes the app remarkably well suited for power users and people who want to quickly write down things without having to lift a hand off the keyboard.

It’s all about the shortcuts

The way you work with FromScratch is, in theory, a lot like working with any other note-taking app. You open the app, and you write down stuff.

However, FromScratch puts a great emphasis on powerful keyboard control. For example, F1 shows or hides the shortcut overview. Almost all useful actions are done via the keyboard. CTRL+Up moves the current line up, CTRL+D deletes the current line, CTRL+W closes the app, CTRL + and CTRL – allow you to zoom in or out.

To search, you use the CTRL+F keyboard shortcut, to toggle fullscreen you press F11, and to toggle between the two provided GUI themes CTRL+i.

Verdict

While it might seem a bit counter-productive at first, learning all these shortcuts can really speed up the whole process of note-taking, allowing you to focus more on what’s really important.

Of course, no app however awesome it may be can’t make you a more productive or motivated person, but there are a couple of small details that can help you.

For some users, having an app like FromScratch that has powerful keyboard control might just be the perfect solution for their day-to-day note-taking needs.

Filed under

Note App Todo List Note-taking App Note To-Do List Writer