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First Launch
Source: start/first-launch.md URL: /start/first-launch
First Launch
The first launch flow is designed to get you into a real vault quickly without hiding the local-first model.
What You Choose
Tolaria asks whether you want to:
- Create or clone the Getting Started vault.
- Open an existing local vault.
- Create a new empty vault.
The Getting Started vault is cloned locally and then disconnected from its remote. That keeps the sample safe to edit without accidentally pushing tutorial changes.
What Tolaria Creates
Tolaria stores app-level settings on the local machine. Your notes stay in the vault folder you choose.
| Data | Stored in |
|---|---|
| Notes and attachments | Your vault folder |
| Type definitions and saved views | Your vault folder |
| Window size, zoom, recent vaults | Local app settings |
| Cache data | Rebuildable local cache |
First Commands To Try
Cmd+K/Ctrl+K: open the command palette.New Note: create a note in the current vault.Open Getting Started Vault: clone the public sample vault.Reload Vault: rescan files after external edits.
AI Setup Prompt
Tolaria can show an optional AI agents prompt after a vault is open. It checks common local install locations for supported coding agents and gives you setup paths, but you can dismiss it and use Tolaria without AI.
Getting Started Vault
Source: start/getting-started-vault.md URL: /start/getting-started-vault
Getting Started Vault
The Getting Started vault is a small public sample vault hosted at refactoringhq/tolaria-getting-started.
It exists to show Tolaria's conventions without requiring you to restructure your own notes first.
What It Demonstrates
- Markdown notes with YAML frontmatter.
- Types such as Project, Person, Topic, and Procedure.
- Wikilinks in note bodies.
- Relationship fields in frontmatter.
- A local Git repository that can be connected to a remote later.
- Vault guidance files for AI agents.
Local-Only By Default
When Tolaria clones the sample, it removes the remote from the local copy. This makes the sample vault disposable. You can edit it freely, commit locally, and delete it later.
To connect a vault to your own remote, use the bottom status bar remote chip or run Add Remote from the command palette.
Tolaria also repairs starter-vault guidance files when needed. AGENTS.md is the canonical guidance file, CLAUDE.md is kept as a compatibility shim, and GEMINI.md is only created when you explicitly restore Gemini guidance.
When To Move On
After you understand the sample, open your own vault. Tolaria does not require a special folder structure: a folder of Markdown files is enough to start.
Install Tolaria
Source: start/install.md URL: /start/install
Install Tolaria
Tolaria publishes desktop builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux. macOS is the primary day-to-day development target, with Windows and Linux builds supported through the release pipeline and fixed as platform issues are found.
Download
Use the latest stable release unless you are intentionally testing pre-release builds:
Homebrew
On macOS you can install the cask:
brew install --cask tolaria
Platform Status
| Platform | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | Primary | Apple Silicon and Intel builds are published. Homebrew is available. |
| Windows | Supported, early | NSIS installers and signed updater bundles are published. Some shell and menu behavior can still need Windows-specific fixes. |
| Linux | Supported, early | AppImage and deb artifacts are published. Desktop behavior depends on distribution WebKitGTK and input-method integration. |
See Supported Platforms for the current support policy.
After Installing
- Open Tolaria.
- Choose the Getting Started vault if you want a guided sample.
- Or open an existing folder of Markdown files as a vault.
- Use the command palette with
Cmd+Kon macOS orCtrl+Kon Linux and Windows.
Open Or Create A Vault
Source: start/open-or-create-vault.md URL: /start/open-or-create-vault
Open Or Create A Vault
A Tolaria vault is a folder on disk. The folder can contain Markdown notes, attachments, type definitions, saved views, and Git metadata.
Open An Existing Folder
Choose an existing folder if you already have Markdown notes. Tolaria scans .md files and uses frontmatter when it exists.
Good starting points:
- A folder of plain Markdown files.
- An Obsidian-style vault.
- A Git repository containing notes.
- A copy of the Getting Started vault.
Create A New Vault
Choose a new empty folder if you want Tolaria conventions from the start. New notes and optional type definitions are created as Markdown files.
Git Is Recommended, Not Required
Tolaria works well with a plain folder of Markdown files. You can open, edit, organize, and search notes without making the vault a Git repository.
Git is recommended when you want local history, diff views, recovery, pull, push, and remote sync without a proprietary backend. If a vault is not already a repository, Tolaria can initialize one when you explicitly ask it to.