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Fylepad automatically saves your work as you type, ensuring you never lose progress. This state persistence works seamlessly across both desktop and web platforms.

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How auto-save works

Fylepad continuously monitors your editor state and saves it automatically:
1

Real-time monitoring

As you type, edit, or modify tabs, Fylepad tracks all changes to your notes and workspace configuration.
2

Automatic persistence

Your state is saved immediately to local storage without requiring manual save actions.
3

Instant restoration

When you reopen Fylepad, your exact workspace state—including all tabs, content, and settings—is restored.

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What gets saved

Fylepad persists your complete workspace state:
  • All open tabs and their content
  • Tab names and order
  • Active tab selection
  • Unique tab identifiers for consistent tracking
  • Complete note content in Markdown format
  • Cursor position and text selection
  • Undo/redo history for each tab
  • Color mode (light/dark theme)
  • Tab layout (horizontal/vertical)
  • Sidebar visibility
  • Text-to-speech settings (voice and rate)

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Platform-specific storage

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Desktop application

The desktop app uses a dual-layer storage approach for maximum reliability: 
// Primary: Tauri file system API
const appDir = await path.appDataDir();
const filePath = await path.join(appDir, 'app_state.json');
await fs.writeTextFile(filePath, JSON.stringify(appState));

// Fallback: localStorage
localStorage.setItem('appState', JSON.stringify(appState));
The desktop app prioritizes Tauri’s native file system API for better performance and reliability, falling back to localStorage if needed.
Storage location: Your state is saved to app_state.json in your system’s application data directory. See Desktop application for exact paths.

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Web application

The web version relies on browser localStorage: 
localStorage.setItem('appState', JSON.stringify(appState));
This provides:
  • Instant saving and loading
  • No server communication required
  • Complete privacy (data never leaves your device)
Browser storage limits vary by browser and can be cleared by system cleanup tools. For important long-term notes, consider using the desktop app or regularly exporting your work.

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Data format

Your application state is stored as JSON: 
{
  "tabs": [
    {
      "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
      "name": "My Notes",
      "content": "# Welcome to Fylepad\n\nYour notes here..."
    }
  ],
  "activeTab": 0,
  "colorMode": "dark",
  "isVerticalTabs": false,
  "sidebarVisible": true
}

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Migration and compatibility

Fylepad handles backward compatibility automatically:
  • ID migration: Older tabs without unique IDs are automatically assigned UUIDs
  • Setting defaults: Missing preferences receive sensible default values
  • Format updates: State structure updates are applied transparently
You can safely switch between desktop and web versions. Export your notes from one platform and import them into the other using the built-in export/import features.

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Reliability guarantees

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No manual saves required

You can close Fylepad at any time without saving. Your work is continuously persisted as you type.

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Crash recovery

If the application closes unexpectedly:
  1. Your last saved state remains intact in storage
  2. Reopen Fylepad to continue exactly where you left off
  3. All tabs and content are restored

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Storage failure handling

If storage operations fail:
The app falls back from Tauri’s file system to localStorage, ensuring your state is always saved.

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Export and import

While auto-save handles persistence within each platform, you can manually transfer notes between devices:
1

Export your notes

Use the export feature to save individual notes as Markdown (.md) or PDF files.
2

Transfer files

Move exported files to your other device via cloud storage, email, or USB drive.
3

Import on new device

Use the import feature to load .md files into Fylepad on any platform.
Export/import is file-based and doesn’t sync your complete workspace state. For full state transfer, you can manually copy the app_state.json file between devices.

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Storage limits

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Desktop

The desktop application has no practical storage limits. Your notes are stored as files on your system, constrained only by available disk space.

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Web

localStorage typically provides 5-10MB of storage per domain, which is sufficient for thousands of notes. If you approach this limit:
  • Export older notes to free up space
  • Delete unused tabs
  • Consider switching to the desktop application

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Privacy

Fylepad’s auto-save system prioritizes your privacy:
  • All data is stored locally on your device
  • No cloud synchronization or server uploads
  • No account creation required
  • Your notes never leave your device unless you explicitly export them

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