Knowledge should outlast software.
A design stance for knowledge work where plain text files are the source of truth, not apps. Your folder of Markdown or .txt files is the platform. Tools come and go, but your files remain.
Read the full manifesto: plaintextcommons.org
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The folder is the platform. One corpus — a folder of open files — acts as the system of record.
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The file is the protocol. Stable, human-readable plain text (Markdown or .txt) with optional front matter.
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No tool owns the corpus. Tools are non-exclusive and interchangeable. None enforce format or schema.
Before adopting any tool or workflow:
- Can I read/edit the files with a basic text editor?
- Can I move the folder and keep working — no exports required?
- Can the tool propose human-auditable changes before writing?
- Will this still make sense in ten years?
If not, it's not Commons-compatible.
Contains the Plaintext Commons manifesto and its evolution. This is a living document based on active research in file-native thinking systems.
The Unlicense - Public Domain