Choosing Where To Store Your Notes
A graph is the set of notes EtherPK opens together: your journal entries, pages, images and files. Every graph you create is one of two kinds: a local graph lives in a folder on your device, and a synced graph lives on the Sync Server. You choose the kind when you create the graph, and you cannot change it afterwards. A device can hold several graphs of either kind. The Graphs page lists them all, with the demo graph after your local graphs.
Both kinds use the same editor and Markdown format, and both support Protected Documents and publishing. See Publishing Your Notes As A Website for more information.
Until your browser holds a graph of its own, the Graphs page shows one panel for each kind, Create a Local Graph and Create a Synced Graph. Below them, under All graphs get, is a list of the features every graph has.
Which kind suits you depends on the browsers and devices you use, whether anyone else needs access, and whether you want plain files under your own control.
Local and synced graphs compared
| Local graph | Synced graph | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the notes are | A folder on this device | The Sync Server, and a working copy on each device |
| Browsers | Chrome or Edge on a computer, Chrome on Android | Any current browser, phones included |
| Sync between devices | Your own tools | Automatic |
| Offline use | Yes | Yes, once a device has opened the graph |
| Sharing | None | Players you invite |
| Account | None | An EtherPK account, with Sync+ to own a graph |
| Backup | Your own tools | A Local Mirror or a zip export |
| Who can read the notes | Anyone who can open the folder, though protected documents stay encrypted | You, your Players and anyone using a browser profile with a working copy, but not the Sync Server |
Local graphs
A local graph is a folder you pick on your device, with each note stored as a plain Markdown file. You can use one without an account, a sign-in or an EtherPK server. The app writes your edits straight into the files, so other editors, Git, sync tools and coding agents work on the same notes.
There is no server behind a local graph, so you copy it to your other devices and back it up yourself, with a tool such as Git or Syncthing. See Local Graphs for more information.
Synced graphs
A synced graph is stored on the Sync Server as part of Managed Sync. Your device encrypts the notes before sending them, so the server cannot read them. See How Encryption Works for more information.
Each device that opens the graph keeps a working copy in browser storage. That copy lets you keep working on the device offline, and your changes catch up once you are back online. While your devices are online, your edits reach the other devices and any Players as you type. See Synced Graphs and Working Offline for more information.
Owning a synced graph takes an EtherPK account with Sync+ (see Your EtherPK Account). You decide who has access by inviting Players, and only you can invite or remove them. Each Player counts against your plan, so they do not need Sync+ of their own. See Sharing A Graph for more information.
A synced graph can also keep a Local Mirror: a plain Markdown copy in a folder on one device. The mirror writes to a folder, so it needs the same browsers as a local graph. In any other browser, a zip export keeps a copy instead. See Keeping A Local Copy Of A Synced Graph for more information.
Coding agents work on a synced graph through the Headless Client. See Using AI Agents With Your Notes for more information.
Demo graph
The demo graph holds sample content for trying the editor. It lives in private storage in this browser only, so it opens in any current browser with no account or folder. Nothing backs it up, so keep your real notes elsewhere: clearing the browser's site data loses your changes, and your next visit after that starts a fresh demo. See Where Your Data Is Stored for more information.
Browser support
A local graph needs a browser that can open a folder. These browsers can:
- Chrome or Edge on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Chrome on ChromeOS
- Chrome on Android
Every browser on an iPhone or iPad uses the same engine as Safari, so none of them can open a folder.
To check a browser that is not listed, open the Graphs page in it. If the browser holds no graph yet, the Create a Local Graph panel shows either a Choose a folder button or the reason the browser cannot open a folder. Once it holds a graph, the top of the page shows Open folder (Local Graph) instead, or a notice that it cannot open one.
Moving notes between kinds
Because a graph's kind is fixed, you move notes to the other kind by importing them into a new graph. Either kind can take an import, and importing leaves the original notes unchanged. See Importing A Knowledge Base for more information.