Getting Started

Introduction to Grove

Grove is a spatial workspace that treats your thoughts as physical objects. Learn the core concepts behind the Canvas and Memory layers.

Most note-taking tools force you into a linear, top-down structure. You write a document, put it in a folder, and it gets buried. Grove is designed for visual thinkers who need to see the big picture without losing the details.

[ Screenshot: Overview of a populated desk ]

Note: Grove is entirely local. All your data is stored as standard Markdown (.md) files on your hard drive, completely accessible without the app.

Core Concepts

To get the most out of Grove, you need to understand its two primary systems: the Canvas Layer and the Memory Layer.

The Canvas Layer

The canvas (or "Desk") is an infinite 2D plane where you do your active work. You can place different types of entities here:

  • Sheets: Standard paper sizes (A4, Letter) that act as boundaries for export or structured thought.
  • Markdown Nodes: Fully-featured rich text documents that sync directly to local files.
  • Sticky Notes: Quick, colorful thought-captures.

The Memory Layer

Not all thoughts belong on the desk right now. The Memory Layer is your organized repository of ideas, stored as Cards.

You can gather cards into Decks (like Evergreen or Blueprint), hold them in your Hand, and stamp them onto the canvas when you're ready to use them.

[ Video: Dragging a card from the hand onto the canvas ]

Moving around the infinite desk should feel natural. Grove uses a unified pointer tool.

  • Pan: Hold Space + drag, or use a trackpad.
  • Zoom: Ctrl + Scroll wheel, or pinch on a trackpad.
  • Command Palette: Press Ctrl + K to search for nodes, files, or execute actions.