Getting Started

This guide covers the basics of installing SnapBoard, launching it for the first time, creating boards, and understanding the core interface.

System Requirements

SnapBoard is lightweight and runs on virtually any modern system.

Operating System Support

Hardware & Performance

Installation

Prerequisites

No additional runtimes or dependencies are required.
Simply download the build for your platform.

Note for Linux users:
AppImage builds require FUSE. Install it using your package manager (e.g. sudo apt install libfuse2).

First Launch

When you open SnapBoard for the first time, you can:

• Create a new board
• Add or rename columns
• Drag cards between columns
• Edit cards using the markdown editor modal
• Attach files to cards

SnapBoard saves everything automatically to a local JSON file.

Creating Your First Board

SnapBoard uses a simple, local‑first board model.

To create a board:

1. Click New Board in the left side bar.
2. Name your board
3. Columns will appear automatically (default: 3)
4. Add cards using the + Add Card button at the top right header.

Boards persist automatically — no manual saving required.

Cards & Editing

Cards are the core unit of SnapBoard.

Each card supports:

• Markdown content
• Live preview
• File attachments
• Drag‑and‑drop movement
• Automatic persistence

Click any card to open the editor modal.

Storage & Persistence

SnapBoard uses a local‑first storage model designed for reliability and portability.

Alpha Storage (Legacy)

Early versions of SnapBoard stored all board data in a single .json file.
While simple, this approach had limitations:

• Markdown content caused escaping issues
• Large boards produced oversized JSON files
• No schema or migration support
• No workspace isolation

Beta Storage (Current)

SnapBoard now uses a structured .db storage format, providing:

• safer handling of markdown content
• proper schema definitions
• future‑proof migrations
• improved performance
• better attachment handling
• cleaner separation between boards

Core Principles

• No cloud
• No accounts
• No telemetry
• No external sync
• Your data stays on your machine

Boards remain fully local unless you export them manually.

Note: Workspace isolation and multi‑board containers are planned for the Beta cycle.

Why “SnapBoard”?

SnapBoard was created to answer a deeper problem inside the SnapDock ecosystem:
how do you organise work that lives across multiple folders, multiple documents, and multiple locations?

SnapDock is excellent at focused writing, but real workflows rarely live in a single directory.
Ideas spread out. Notes scatter. Projects grow sideways.
Writers and developers needed a way to connect documents that weren’t physically connected.

SnapBoard was built to solve exactly that.

Instead of creating a small virtual‑workspace helper, SnapBoard became a full planning tool — a place to map ideas, link documents, track progress, and structure work in a way that elevates the entire SnapDock toolset.

By giving SnapDock a dedicated planning companion, the ecosystem gains:

• clarity across scattered files
• structure across multiple projects
• a visual workflow that stays local and simple
• a bridge between writing and organising

SnapBoard isn’t just a kanban board.
It’s the missing layer that ties your documents, ideas, and workflows together — without ever leaving your machine.