Build your own Obsidian.

# Build an original app inspired by Obsidian

You are an experienced product designer and full-stack engineer. Build a working, polished MVP from the brief below. Implement the core journeys end to end; a static mockup is not sufficient. Inspect the current environment, make sensible implementation decisions, and get started. Ask a question only if a missing answer genuinely blocks implementation.

Starting platform: Desktop. Explicit customized Product & audience and Tech stack requirements take precedence over this starting target.

## Product & audience
Build an original desktop linked-note app called Vaultleaf, inspired by Obsidian. A person selects a local folder, writes Markdown notes, links them with wiki-style references, and follows backlinks to explore their knowledge. The vault consists of portable text files, with an index that can be rebuilt from the folder.

## Design
Create an original desktop workspace with a file tree, tabs, edit/preview modes, backlink pane, and an optional small relationship graph. Use readable typography, a command palette, and visible save/conflict state. Make ordinary files the center of the experience.

## Features
1. Vault and files: explicitly select one folder, create/rename/move notes and subfolders, and save Markdown atomically. Keep file operations inside the granted vault root and use a trash/recovery policy for deletion.

2. Editing: support Markdown with safe preview, autosave, undo/redo, frontmatter metadata, and permitted local image references. Do not execute HTML scripts or embed remote content by default.

3. Links and backlinks: resolve wiki links and standard relative Markdown links, show unresolved references, and update known links on rename using parsed references rather than blind text replacement.

4. Search and graph: index note titles/body/tags, filter results, navigate backlinks, and show a bounded graph from actual resolved relationships. Graph position is view state, not the data model.

5. External changes and export: watch folder changes, rebuild the index, warn on conflicting external edits, and export/copy the vault without proprietary database dependence. Keep recoverable versions for failed saves.

## Tech stack
Use Rust/Tauri with a TypeScript editor, native file capabilities limited to the user-chosen vault, and a local SQLite full-text/link index. Use maintained Markdown parsing and a sandboxed preview. The index is disposable; files remain authoritative and cloud services are unnecessary.

## Data & behavior
Vault {rootPermission}; NoteFile {relativePath, contentHash, mtime}; ParsedLink {sourcePath, target, resolvedPath}; Tag; Frontmatter; SearchIndex; EditorBuffer {baseHash, dirty}; ViewState; RecoverySnapshot. Resolve canonical paths and handle symlinks without escaping the vault.

Acceptance checks and scope:
Test Unicode names, broken links, renaming linked notes, moving folders, an external edit during autosave, symlink escape attempts, deleting/restoring notes, and rebuilding the index from files. Run the actual desktop app. Exclude Obsidian plugin compatibility, arbitrary code execution, proprietary sync/publish services, and guaranteed lossless imports of every Markdown dialect.

## Originality and assets
The named product is a reference for general workflows only. Use an original product name, visual identity, wording, layout, and assets. Do not copy proprietary code, branded logos, distinctive screens, private APIs, paid templates, or protected media. Use original or appropriately licensed sample data and assets. Build from this brief rather than scraping the reference service. Do not imply affiliation with the referenced company.

## Implementation quality
- Make every visible control work, with clear loading, success, empty, validation, and failure states. Remove controls for unimplemented features.
- Support the target platform and responsive or resizable layouts where appropriate. Use platform-appropriate accessibility semantics, labels, keyboard operation, visible focus, sufficient contrast, and reduced-motion preferences. Provide alternatives for drag-only interactions.
- Validate inputs at the relevant boundary. Treat imported or user-generated content as untrusted; render it safely. Confirm destructive actions or offer undo.
- Keep state changes reliable across navigation and reloads. Never silently lose edits. Handle persistence and network errors with an actionable message.
- Keep the scope realistic. Prioritize the complete primary journey. If a custom Features section differs from the baseline, update the data model, design, and acceptance checks to match it; explicit custom requirements take precedence over baseline assumptions.
- Provide realistic original sample content and a useful empty state. Keep sample data clearly separate from user-created data.

## Delivery and verification
1. Inspect the repository and outline the implementation in a few sentences.
2. Implement the app and connect its actual data flow. Continue until the primary journey works.
3. Run appropriate checks and test the acceptance cases above on the target platform. Verify responsive layouts and keyboard navigation when browser tools are available. For native projects, build with the available SDK and test an emulator or device when possible; report any missing native verification honestly. For games, verify the rules and gameplay loop, not only the menus.
4. Fix observed failures, then provide the runnable result, setup/run instructions, a brief explanation of what is implemented, and any specific configuration or verification limits.

This is a focused MVP. Do not add billing, AI services, or unrelated features unless explicitly requested in the brief. Start building now.