# Toxvas

> A local-first offline workspace canvas for Mac. Every card is a plain Markdown file in a folder you own.

- Homepage: https://toxvas.space/
- Download (macOS 14+, Apple silicon): https://dl.toxvas.space/macos-arm64-Toxvas.dmg?v=1.0.2
- Free 7-day trial, no account. One-time purchase ($9 early access), no subscription.
- Pricing: https://toxvas.space/#pricing
- Privacy: https://toxvas.space/privacy/
- Terms: https://toxvas.space/terms/

## What it is

Toxvas is a canvas for Mac with two views: Boards (an infinite plane with cards,
files, ink connectors and section frames) and Library (a masonry grid of every card
with full-text search over an FTS5 index).

## The folder is the database

Toxvas writes `TOXVAS_SPEC.md` into the folder on first open. Layout:

- `cards/*.md` — one Markdown file per card (frontmatter + body)
- `boards/*.json` — one canvas-layout file per board
- `attachments/*` — imported files of any type, referenced by relative path

Any tool — the app, a script, or an AI agent — can read and write the folder directly.
Nothing leaves the Mac. No account, no API key, no telemetry.

## Agent surface

Any agent that can run a shell can read and write the board with the app closed:
read verbs (`boards`, `cards`, `show`, `board`, `search`, `links`, `tasks`, `tags`),
write verbs (`new`, `append`, `set`, `move`, `link`, `task`, `delete`, `attach`,
`board new`, `board delete`, `section`) and meta verbs (`schema`, `doctor`, `help`).
JSON out by default, `--human` for tables, exit codes 1/2/3, `--dry-run` on every write.

## Frequently asked

- Is Toxvas free? Free 7-day trial, no purchase needed. Then $9 once (early access), no subscription.
- Does it work offline? Yes, fully local-first. No account, no sync server, no telemetry.
- Where are notes stored? Plain Markdown files in a folder you choose (one file per card, JSON per board, attachments folder).
- Requirements? macOS 14+, Apple silicon. Signed and notarized.
- Licence? One-time payment, perpetual for Toxvas 1.x, up to 2 Macs.
- Can AI agents use it? Yes — any agent with shell access can read/write the folder; the open board follows in ~2s.

## Writing

- Markdown roundup: https://toxvas.space/blog/best-markdown-notes-apps-mac/
- Obsidian alternatives: https://toxvas.space/blog/obsidian-alternatives-mac/
- Offline Notion alternatives: https://toxvas.space/blog/offline-notion-alternatives-mac/
- Plain-text notes: https://toxvas.space/blog/plain-text-notes-outlive-apps/
- Heptabase alternatives: https://toxvas.space/blog/heptabase-alternatives/
- Heptabase vs Toxvas: https://toxvas.space/blog/heptabase-vs-toxvas/
- Writers plotting a book: https://toxvas.space/blog/writers-plot-book-canvas/
- AI agent workspace: https://toxvas.space/blog/ai-agent-visual-workspace/
- Startup positioning: https://toxvas.space/blog/startup-positioning-board/
- Student study setup: https://toxvas.space/blog/student-study-canvas/

## Machine-readable resources

- API catalog: https://toxvas.space/.well-known/api-catalog
- Sitemap: https://toxvas.space/sitemap-index.xml