01
Notes are available on one device but the agent runs elsewhere and receives copied, aging context.
Doco use case
A personal knowledge base an Agent can safely maintain
Use Doco as a personal knowledge base when you want a real WYSIWYG document space across devices and also want external agents to search, cite, and maintain selected notes through a controlled API. Choose local Markdown instead when files, plugins, and offline independence matter more than shared service access.
The real failure mode
Personal notes become operational context
A private vault is simple until an agent on another device must find the current fact, cite it precisely, and update it without damaging nearby writing.
02
A filename or line number stops being a useful citation after paragraphs move and the note is reorganized.
03
Granting filesystem access exposes a broader directory than the small set of documents the task actually needs.
Operating loop
Keep writing human-first
- 01
Write in the rich editor with headings, tables, images, diagrams, spreadsheets, collapsible sections, and keyboard shortcuts.
- 02
Keep browser-local state for quick opening and offline edits; synchronize through the shared Yjs document when connected.
- 03
Give an agent a read-only token first, then let it browse, search, and cite selected knowledge bases or documents.
- 04
Promote only proven workflows to write scope, require version checks, and keep Markdown/native exports as the exit path.
Doco is a service-backed personal workspace, not a plain-folder application. If complete local-file control is the primary requirement, a Markdown vault is the better fit.
Capability map
What the system must provide
| Dimension | The need | How Doco handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Source of truth | Comfortable daily writing and organization | Rich WYSIWYG documents, folders, diagrams, tables and imports |
| Retrieval | Find notes without feeding the whole library | Knowledge tree, outlines, structured search and bounded reads |
| Evidence | Durable citations after reordering | Stable block IDs stored in the document model |
| Writes | Optional agent maintenance with limited scope | API tokens, CLI, MCP, document/block tools and comments |
| Concurrency | Safe edits across browser and agent sessions | Local IndexedDB + Yjs sync + version-protected API writes |
| Portability | No one-way vendor lock-in | Markdown, ZIP and native transfer plus self-hosting |
Good fit
Long-form notes, research, learning logs, personal runbooks, project journals, writing drafts, and a curated library that selected agents may read or maintain.
Not the right fit
Users who need every note to remain a directly editable local Markdown file, depend heavily on a mature plugin ecosystem, or never want a collaboration server in the loop.
Bottom line
Use the right memory
The right personal knowledge base is the one you will actually write in. Doco adds controlled Agent access without turning the human editor into a source-code pane.
01Are Doco notes stored as Markdown files?
No. The authoritative content is a structured Yjs/ProseMirror document. Markdown is an import, export, publishing, and agent round-trip format.
02Can I edit without a network?
The browser keeps local IndexedDB state and can continue through temporary disconnection, then merge when the collaboration connection returns.
03When is Obsidian a better choice?
Choose Obsidian when a local Markdown vault, broad plugins, graph workflows, and user-managed sync are more important than a shared agent-facing service.