Every time someone glances over my phone and sees my notes, I get the same question:
“What note-taking app is that?”
The short answer is Obsidian.
The longer answer is that I stumbled into a note-taking system built on something much simpler: Markdown.
I’ve tried Notion, Apple Notes, even Google Sheets (don’t ask). This piece isn’t about convincing you to switch apps. It’s about understanding why something simple can feel more powerful than something packed with features.
Read this if you take notes.
And even if you don’t, my hope is that you walk away with a better understanding of how programs run software.
Everything on a Computer Is a File
Let’s start with something easy to forget.
Every text, image, color, button, song, video, presentation on a computer lives in a file. Either on your device or in some data center, probably in us-east-1.
Programs don’t create magic. They interpret files.
PowerPoint, Final Cut Pro, GIMP, they all take files that look like nonsense to us and turn them into something usable. Open those same files in a plain text editor and you’ll see pure chaos.
That’s normal.
Here are some file types you already know:
.pdf: documents that look the same everywhere.mp4/.mov: videos I export for YouTube.jpg: compressed images for websites.xlsx/.numbers: spreadsheets.gif: when words aren’t enough.pptx: presentations
Programs recognize these files by their extensions, and each extension follows a set of rules.
What Is a File “Spec”?
Those rules are called a spec.
A spec is just a contract that says, “If a file looks like this, I’ll know how to read it.”
Think of it like a kitchen spec.
Kitchen Spec 0.1
A room with running water, a sink, a fridge, a stove, an oven, and cabinets.
This allows for multiple kitchens, but most NYC apartments wouldn’t qualify.
So we simplify it.
Kitchen Spec 0.2
Any space with running water and a sink.
Now bathrooms qualify. Very New York.
Specs evolve like this all the time. People argue over definitions, then software is built to support them. Most apps we pay for are just tools that help us move files from one valid file to another.
Power in Simplicity
One of the simplest specs out there is CSV (Comma Separated Values).
It’s basically:
- Values separated by commas
- One record per line
- Optional header at the top
That’s it.
You can write a CSV in any text editor, save it as .csv, and Excel, Google Sheets, or Apple Numbers will know exactly what to do.
firstname,lastname,website
Jarry,Ngandjui,jarryngandjui.comI already know how that spreadsheet will look without opening an app.
Try doing that with a PDF.
If you can, I bet you cannot pass a captcha.
This simplicity is why CSV is the universal escape hatch between spreadsheet tools. Export as CSV. Import the same file anywhere, it clean and predictable!
When Notes Are Just Text
Markdown follows the same philosophy.
It’s a plain text format created in 2004 to be easy to read, easy to write, and easy to convert into HTML for the web.
Markdown files end in .md, and they’re just text.
That’s why I use them for notes and blogging:
- Lightweight and fast: nothing beats plain text
- Simple structure: headings, lists, links
- Portable and future-proof: you own your files
- Works everywhere: any device can handle text
Headings in markdown
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading you guessed itLists in markdown
Numbered list
1. One
2. Two
Bullet List
- Topic a
- Topic b
Nested list
1. One
- Topic A
1. TwoBesides a little syntax, it’s just writing.
Markdown is the CSV of note taking.
Where Obsidian Fits In
I use Obsidian to manage my Markdown notes.
It’s fast, local-first, and lets me link notes together without locking me into a platform. It also supports cloud sync between macOS and iOS, which keeps everything in sync without hiding my files.
Obsidian isn’t the only option though.
If you’re curious, here are a few solid Markdown based note apps:
The app matters less than the idea.