FAQ

Is Synapse free?

Yes. It is open source under the MIT licence and the builds on GitHub Releases are free. There is no account and no subscription.

Can I open my Obsidian vault?

Yes, a vault is any folder of Markdown files. Synapse reads wiki links, embeds, tags and front matter, writes only its own .synapse/ folder and never modifies .obsidian/. Obsidian settings and community plugins are not used.

Why do my preferences not change when I switch vaults?

That is the point: preferences are global. Override one for a single vault with the scope menu next to it. See Settings.

Where are my notes stored?

In the vault folder you chose, as .md files. Synapse has no database of its own content and no cloud copy.

Does Synapse sync between devices?

Not by itself. Because notes are plain files, you can keep the vault in any folder that your own sync service manages. If a file changes on disk while you edit it, Synapse shows a conflict banner instead of overwriting.

Does Synapse go online?

Only to check for updates at launch (one request to GitHub Releases, which you can turn off in Settings → General) and when a note asks it to: to load a remote image embedded with an https:// link, or when you click a web link, which opens in your browser. There is no telemetry.

Which Macs are supported?

The published release needs macOS 13 Ventura or later on Apple silicon.

Is there Windows, Linux or mobile?

No. Synapse is built and tested for macOS only.

Does it update automatically?

It tells you, but does not install by itself. From version 1.3.0, Synapse checks GitHub Releases at launch and shows a notice with a Download button when a newer version is published; you replace the app in Applications. Automatic installation would need an Apple Developer ID signature. See Installation → Update.

What is not supported yet?

• Raw HTML in notes is shown as text, for security.
• Split panes run in one direction, with up to four panes.
• Obsidian community plugins are not supported.
• Builds are not notarized. From version 1.3.0 Synapse tells you when a new version is out, but you install it by hand.