Offline study workflows and backups

Start with one subject and a small note

Open the workspace and create a note for a specific lecture or question. Give it a title that names the concept, a subject that groups it with the course, and one or two tags that describe its use. For example, “Enzyme inhibition” under Biology with tags “exam” and “comparison” is easier to retrieve than “Week 4 notes”.

Use Markdown for headings and prose, an outline for a sequence of ideas, or Cornell cues when you want questions beside the material. The format label helps you filter your library; you can still edit the body, summary and recall cues in every format. Save source references in the body so you can check a claim later.

Understand where your notes live

The workspace saves notes in localStorage for the current browser profile and website origin. It does not synchronize them to another device or upload them to a notes account. A different browser, private window, or different domain has a separate library. Clearing site data can remove the saved notes.

Read the save status after editing. A storage error means your current tab may still contain the note, but closing it can lose the changes. Download a JSON backup immediately if saving fails. Avoid editing the same workspace in two tabs; when another tab changes it, export the current tab before reloading and reconciling the versions.

Prepare for an offline session

Visit the homepage and the tools or guides you intend to use while connected. The service worker caches the app assets and visited pages after installation; it cannot retrieve pages you have never opened while offline. Keep the original tab open until caching finishes.

Test the exact workflow before depending on it: disconnect from the network, reload the homepage, edit a disposable note, and export a backup. Browser policies, private browsing and storage eviction can affect offline availability. If a page fails to load, reconnect and open it again. Keep a readable Markdown copy outside the browser for an independent fallback.

Choose a backup format for the task

JSON is the full workspace backup: it preserves IDs, subjects, tags, cues, timestamps and review counts. Export it at the end of a substantial study session and name the downloaded file with a date. Keep a second copy in a location independent of this browser, such as a storage device you control.

Markdown is useful for reading and moving notes into another editor. Exports include frontmatter metadata; a Markdown book contains all notes and can be imported into this app again. CSV and TSV contain question-answer cards, so they do not preserve the whole workspace. PDFs are reading or printing copies, not editable workspace backups.

Test restoration without risking the original

Export JSON, then open the app in a separate browser profile and import that file. Check a note with tags, a summary and several recall cues. Compare counts and open a long note to confirm its content. A backup you have never opened is an assumption, not a tested recovery path.

Merge imports add notes and overwrite notes with matching IDs using the incoming version. Replace discards the current library and uses only the imported notes. Export the current library before either operation when versions may differ. Invalid JSON, unsupported versions and malformed note records are rejected before the import is applied.

Make maintenance part of review

At the end of the week, remove duplicate scratch notes, fix vague titles and turn recurring mistakes into recall cues. Export a dated backup after these changes. Keep more than one recent backup so an accidental deletion is not immediately copied into your only recovery file.

For a device move, export JSON on the old device, transfer the file yourself and import it on the new one. Open several notes and export a fresh backup from the new browser before retiring the old profile. Keep a text export for long-term reading even if you later change tools.

Copyable planning template

# Weekly workspace check
Subject:
Notes changed this week:
Backup filename and date:
Independent copy location:
Restore test result:
Next review:

Backup :: A separate exported copy that can restore the workspace.

Frequently asked questions

Does local saving synchronize my devices?

No. Export JSON on one device and import it on another. Each browser profile stores its own workspace.

Can I recover notes after clearing browser data?

Import a previously exported backup. The app has no server copy from which to recover deleted browser data.

Can I use the app without a connection?

After the service worker caches the app, the workspace and previously visited pages can load offline. Test this on your browser before relying on it.