FAQ

Answers to the most common questions about Ariv, from setup to features to future plans.

What is Ariv?

Ariv is a local-first personal knowledge management app that surfaces relevant knowledge without forcing you to organize it. It’s built as a desktop app using Electron and works with plain markdown files — the same format used by Obsidian, Logseq, and any text editor.

The core philosophy is “outcome-opinionated, structure-agnostic”: Ariv guides you toward good knowledge habits (like reviewing stale notes and capturing fleeting ideas) without requiring you to maintain a specific folder structure or tagging system.

Is Ariv free?

Ariv is currently in beta and completely free — all features, including AI, are available at no cost during the beta period.

After beta, Ariv will introduce a Pro plan:

Tier	Price	Includes
Free	$0 forever	Full local app, 20 Ask Brain queries/month, 50 AI tags/month
Pro	$7-8/month	Unlimited AI features, sync (when available)

The free tier will always include the complete local app with no feature gating on core functionality. You only pay if you want unlimited AI and future sync capabilities.

What platforms does Ariv support?

Platform	Status	Requirements
macOS	Available	macOS 12 Monterey or later, Apple Silicon (M1+) and Intel
Windows	Available	Windows 10 or later, x64
Linux	Planned	On the roadmap

Where is my data stored?

Everything is stored locally on your computer. Your notes live as plain .md files in your vault folder — wherever you chose to place it. Ariv also maintains a local SQLite database for search indexing and metadata, stored in the app’s data directory.

Ariv never uploads your notes. The only network calls the app makes are:

AI queries (only if you enable AI features) — note excerpts sent to your chosen AI provider
Anonymous telemetry ping (opt-out available) — a single anonymous ping on launch to count active users
Update checks — checks for new versions from Cloudflare R2
Semantic search model download — a one-time 22MB download

For full details, see Privacy & Data.

Can I use my existing notes?

Yes. Ariv works with any folder of markdown files. There’s no import step, no conversion, and no migration required. Just point Ariv at your existing folder and it indexes everything automatically.

Obsidian vaults work as-is. Ariv reads standard markdown and respects your existing folder structure. Wikilinks ([[note]]) are recognized for backlinks and graph features.

Do I need an AI API key?

No. Ariv works fully without AI. Every core feature — the editor, file tree, search, lifecycle buckets, dashboard, daily notes, weekly review, templates, backlinks, and more — works with zero configuration and no internet connection.

AI features are optional enhancements layered on top:

Ask Brain — Q&A over your notes (requires cloud API key or Ollama)
AI tag refinement — Smarter tag suggestions (requires cloud API key or Ollama)
Note summarization — Quick summaries via AI (requires cloud API key or Ollama)
Semantic search — Uses a local model that downloads once (22MB). No API key needed.

If you want AI features without sending data to the cloud, use Ollama as your provider. It runs entirely on your machine.

Can I use Ariv offline?

Yes. All core features work fully offline with no internet connection required.

Feature	Offline?	Notes
Editor, file tree, search	Yes	Always works
Lifecycle buckets, dashboard	Yes	Always works
Daily notes, templates	Yes	Always works
Semantic search	Yes	After initial 22MB model download
Ask Brain	Depends	Offline with Ollama, otherwise needs internet
AI tagging	Depends	Offline with Ollama, otherwise needs internet

How is Ariv different from Obsidian?

Both Ariv and Obsidian work with local markdown files, and Obsidian vaults are directly compatible with Ariv. The key differences are in philosophy and approach:

Aspect	Ariv	Obsidian
Philosophy	Surfaces knowledge automatically	Powerful manual organization tools
Organization	Structure-agnostic — works with any folder layout	Flexible but relies on user-created systems
Lifecycle	Automatic 3-bucket system (Inbox, Active, Background)	No built-in lifecycle tracking
Auto-tagging	Built-in heuristic + AI tagging	Requires plugins
Weekly Review	Built-in guided review flow	No built-in equivalent
Plugins	Not yet (planned)	Extensive plugin ecosystem
Mobile	Not yet (planned)	Available

Ariv is built for people who want their notes to work for them without constant maintenance. If you enjoy building elaborate organizational systems, Obsidian gives you more tools for that. If you want knowledge to surface naturally, Ariv is designed for that.

Does Ariv support plugins?

Not yet. Plugin support is on the roadmap as a future feature. Ariv is focused on getting the core experience right before opening up extensibility.

Can I use PARA/GTD/Zettelkasten with Ariv?

Yes. Ariv is structure-agnostic — it works with any organizational framework you prefer, or no framework at all. Your folder structure, naming conventions, and organizational habits are entirely up to you.

The Weekly Review feature even adapts its terminology based on your framework. If you use PARA, it understands “Projects” and “Areas.” If you use GTD, it speaks in terms of “Next Actions” and “Contexts.”

How do I report bugs or request features?

There are a few ways to share feedback:

In-app Feedback button — Accessible from the app interface. This is the fastest way to report issues.
Social media — Reach out on the platforms where Ariv is active.

Bug reports are especially helpful when they include steps to reproduce the issue and your platform details (macOS/Windows, app version).

Does Ariv support mobile?

Not yet. Ariv is desktop-only, available on macOS and Windows. Mobile support is on the roadmap but there is no timeline to share yet.

Since your notes are plain markdown files, you can access and edit them on mobile using any markdown editor that works with your file system or sync tool.

Related: Privacy & Data — How Ariv handles your data | Troubleshooting — Solutions to common issues