strayfiles is a Markdown notes app built for developers who use AI coding assistants like Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and Windsurf. It aggregates files from any folder, syncs across devices, and keeps your workflow intact.
The Problem We’re Solving
Most note apps say: “Put your notes into our system.”
strayfiles says: “We’ll layer a smarter organizational system on top of yours.”
If you’re a developer using AI tools, you’ve probably accumulated:
CLAUDE.mdandCURSOR.mdcontext filesREADME.mdfiles scattered across repos- Documentation, notes, and todos in Markdown
- Project docs spread across multiple machines
strayfiles brings all of these together without forcing you to change how you work.
Core Features
Markdown from Anywhere
Aggregate Markdown files from multiple folders—not just one “vault.” No forced directory structure. Point to existing notes wherever they live.
Opt-in Notes with Frontmatter
Only files with strayfiles metadata are indexed:
---
strayfiles:
enabled: true
id: "uuid"
workspaces: ["work", "ideas"]
---Smart Organization
Tags, filters, and full-text search across title, content, and tags. Virtual workspaces that don’t change your filesystem—like “smart folders” for Markdown.
Unified Editing
Clean “notes app” style UI inspired by Apple Notes and Obsidian. Not a raw file manager. Edit any indexed Markdown file with a beautiful interface.
Flexible Sync Options
Free tier (fully local):
- Local-first, no cloud dependency
- No account required
- Git-based sync (auto commit/pull/push)
- Works with iCloud, Dropbox, Syncthing
Paid tier (encrypted cloud sync):
- End-to-end encrypted via Supabase
- Realtime device-to-device updates
- Still stores real
.mdfiles locally as mirror
Version History
Even without Git:
- Local snapshots
- Diff viewer
- “Oops I overwrote something” restore
Technical Architecture
Rust Core
The heart of strayfiles is built in Rust, handling storage and sync with a local glueSQL index. The TUI feature is retained as a backend for the SwiftUI GUI.
Native iOS App (SwiftUI)
Lists and searches notes, edits Markdown with tags, and triggers sync via the Rust core.
Security First
- End-to-end encryption for paid sync
- RLS-enforced Supabase tables
- No device executes code from notes
- Sandboxed filesystem scanning
- Keychain storage for secrets
Built for Vibe Coders
strayfiles is designed for developers who embrace AI-assisted coding. Whether you’re maintaining context files for Claude Code, organizing project documentation, or just trying to keep track of scattered notes across repositories and machines—strayfiles adapts to your workflow.
Keep your notes exactly where they are. We’ll adapt to your system. Try strayfiles today!