Note with VS - A Productivity Booster
- Arivoli Sithananthan
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Stop the "Alt-Tab" Madness: The Ultimate Dev Note Tool is Here!
Problem Statement:
Let’s be real for a second. You are deep in the zone, refactoring a complex recursive function. Suddenly, you need to save a snippet, jot down a logic flaw, or note a bug for later. What do you do? You Alt-Tab to a browser. Then you open Slack. Then maybe Trello. By the time you come back to VS Code, your "flow state" is gone.
Context switching is the #1 productivity killer for developers. Why leave your IDE to manage your thoughts when your thoughts are about the code?
Meet "Note with VS" – The extension that turns your VS Code into a productivity powerhouse.
What Is Note with VS?
Note with VS transforms VS Code into a powerful note management system built specifically for developers. It's local-first, Git-native, and designed to keep you in your flow state.
Core Principles:
📝 Store notes as plain Markdown files
📁 Use folders for organization (no complex tagging)
🔄 Sync via Git (total control over your data)
⏰ Built-in reminders with simple syntax
🚀 Works offline, no cloud dependencies
Feature Deep Dive: Why Developers Are Installing This?
1. 100% Local & Private (No Cloud Lock-in)
The Use Case: You are working on sensitive code or just prefer owning your data. You hate tools that hold your notes hostage in a proprietary database. How It Works: "Note with VS" treats your notes like code. It stores them as standard Markdown files in a local folder (defaulting to "~Documents/NoteForVS" ).
Folders become Labels: Organize your notes using subfolders which act as "Labels".
Markdown Native: Use headers, code blocks, and lists just like you write README.md files.
2. Git Sync: Your Notes, Version Controlled
The Use Case: You accidentally deleted a critical architecture note. Or, you want to sync your dev logs between your work laptop and home PC without using a third-party cloud app. How It Works: This is the killer feature. You can initialize a Git repository directly inside your notes folder.
Visual Status: See what's changed instantly. Modified notes show a Yellow icon, new notes are Green, and conflicts show a Warning icon.
One-Click Sync: Run Note with VS: Save and Sync Notes to stage, commit, and push changes to your remote repo (GitHub/GitLab).
Conflict Free: It automatically handles the .gitignore for things like Clipboard history, keeping your repo clean.
3. "Set It & Forget It" Reminders
The Use Case: You write a TODO comment in your code // TODO: Fix this later, but you never actually look at it again. How It Works: Embed reminders right inside your markdown notes using a simple syntax. The extension parses your notes and alerts you.
Syntax: -
[ ] Review PR #123 @due(2023-11-25).Dashboard: View your tasks grouped by Overdue, Today, and Upcoming in a dedicated view.
4. Templates for Speed
The Use Case: Daily standups. Every morning you type the same "Yesterday/Today/Blockers" format. How It Works: Define templates using HTML comments. Click a button, and the structure is pasted instantly.
Markdown
<!-- @template(Daily Standup) -->
### Daily Standup
- **Yesterday**:
- **Today**:
<!-- @endtemplate -->Hide Templates:
Add hidden attribute for base templates you don't use directly:
<!-- @template(Base Template, hidden) -->4. Organize with Labels (Folders)
Use your filesystem's folder structure to organize notes. Create folders and subfolders just like you organize your code—simple and intuitive.
How to Create Labels:
Click the folder icon in the Notes view
Run command: Note with VS: Create Label
Right-click any folder or note → Create Label
Context-aware: New labels are created based on your current selection
The Future: What's Coming Next? (Roadmap)
We are building this with the community. While the current version helps you stay local and organized, we are actively working on these game-changing features to make "Note with VS" the only tool you'll ever need:
1. Multi-Directory & Multi-Repo Support
Working on microservices? Soon you won't be limited to one notes folder. We are adding support to handle multiple directories and distinct Git repositories simultaneously, so your notes can live alongside specific projects.
2. Context-Aware File References
Ever wrote a note "Refactor the auth logic" but forgot which file you were looking at? Coming Soon: We will automatically store the reference of the source file from where the note was created. Click the note, and it takes you straight back to that line of code!
3. Google Drive Sync
Not a Git user? No problem. We are adding a GDrive integration option. You'll be able to sync your Markdown files via Google Drive just as easily as Git, giving you more flexibility in how you back up your data.
4. PDF Export
Need to share your release notes with a manager or a non-technical stakeholder? You will soon be able to export your beautifully formatted Markdown notes directly to PDF with a single click.
Why Note with VS?
For Developers Who Value:
✅ Data ownership: Your files, your filesystem, your rules
✅ Privacy: Everything stays local unless you choose to sync
✅ Simplicity: Plain Markdown, no complex databases
✅ Portability: Works offline, no internet required
✅ Integration: Lives where you already work—your editor
✅ Freedom: No subscriptions, no paywalls, no tracking
Get Started Now
Requirements:
VS Code 1.80.0 or higher
That's it!
Installation:
Open VS Code
Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
Search for "Note with VS"
Click Install
Click the Note with VS icon in the Activity Bar
Your notes, your way. Local-first, Git-powered, and built for developers.
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