Getting started

Up and running in a minute.

You don't really set up Jot — you just start writing in it. Here's the whole path from nothing to your first note: pick where your notes live, optionally bring an AI key, and go. No passwords, no folders, no chores.

Jot runs two ways. This is the only real decision, and you can change your mind later — your notes export as plain Markdown either way.

Local
Private · in your browser
  • No account — nothing to sign up for
  • End-to-end encrypted on your device
  • Works offline; optional backup to your own Google Drive
Cloud
Synced · across devices
  • Sign in with a magic link — no password to set
  • Your notes follow you to phone and laptop
  • Stored on our servers, scoped only to you
Not sure? Start Local. It needs no account and nothing leaves your device. You can switch to Cloud whenever you want to sync — your notes come with you.

Jot's AI runs on a key you bring — you pick the provider and control the cost. Most have a free tier, and Jot picks sensible model defaults for you. Paste your key, hit Test, and Save. It's stored encrypted and used only by your account.

Mistral — free, recommended Groq — free Gemini OpenAI
Jot's Settings → AI screen: pick a provider, paste your key, test it, and save. A note says the key is stored encrypted and used only by your account.
No key? That's fine. Writing, [[links]], #tags, the graph, and your daily to-dos all work without one. Add a key later when you want Refine and Ask.

Today's note is already open — just start typing; it saves as you go. Type [[a topic]] to link an idea and #a-tag to file a thought, and Jot builds the connections for you. Want to see it with real content first? Add the Demo notebook — five sample days that already link up — and delete it in one click when you're ready.

A day's note in Jot with headings, linked topics, and to-dos, plus a side panel showing the map of connections and related notes.

New to how software actually works, or just curious? Add the Jot Book (“How Jot works”) — a self-paced course, right inside Jot, from “what is a website” to how the AI works and shipping to the app stores, one calm lesson at a time. Just want to write? Skip it — Jot works fully without it. Add or remove it anytime from Settings → Notebooks.

Jot's Settings → Notebooks screen with an “Add Jot Book” button beside “Add Demo notebook” — the “How Jot works” book is added in one click.

Jot is a PWA (progressive web app), so there's no App Store or Play Store download — you install it straight from the browser. Once it's on your home screen it opens full-screen like any app, works offline, and (in Cloud mode) can deliver your daily brief as a notification. About a minute, once per phone:

Android
Chrome · one tap
  • Open jot.leafsoft.online in Chrome
  • Tap the menu, then Install app (or “Add to Home screen”)
  • Confirm — Jot lands on your home screen and opens full-screen
  • Chrome often shows an Install chip in the address bar too
iPhone & iPad
Safari · Share menu
  • Open jot.leafsoft.online in Safari (it has to be Safari)
  • Tap the Share button — the square with an up-arrow
  • Scroll to Add to Home Screen, then Add
  • Open Jot from its new icon — full-screen, no browser bars
Why install? Full-screen, faster, and it works offline. On iPhone it's also the only way notifications work — iOS only allows the daily-brief push for apps added to the Home Screen (iOS 16.4+). On Android the installed app gets real notifications too.

Keep capturing and Jot does the rest in the background: it draws the graph of connections, surfaces a short daily brief of open to-dos and drafts each morning, and — once you've added a key — offers gentle, context-aware writing prompts when you open a blank page. Nothing to configure; it shows up as you write.

Sharing a device? Lock Jot behind a passkey and unlock with your fingerprint or Face ID — set it up in Settings. More in Privacy & encryption.

Start your first note.

Local or cloud, no credit card, no AI charges. You can be writing in under a minute.