Synapse 1.3.0

Synapse v1.3.0

This release brings everything since 1.1.0 (1.2.0 was tagged but never published).

Not notarized. Builds are ad-hoc signed, so macOS warns you the first time you open the app. See "First launch" below.

What's new

Update notice

• At launch Synapse asks GitHub Releases whether a newer version exists. If so, a notice shows Synapse x.y.z is available with a Download button that opens the release page.
• One request per launch, nothing about you or your notes is sent, failures are silent.
• Turn it off in Settings → General → Check for updates.
• Installing stays manual: download the new DMG and replace the app in Applications. Notes and settings are not touched.

Editor

• A plain click on a link rendered by Live Preview ([[Note]], [[Note|alias]], [text](note.md)) opens it. ⌘-click still works everywhere; ⌘-click on a rendered link opens it in a new tab.

Reading view

• Fenced code with a language is syntax-highlighted.
• ```mermaid blocks render as diagrams.

Platforms

• New Intel (x64) build. It is built from the same code but has not been tested on Intel hardware yet; please report any problem.

Download

File	For	SHA-256
Synapse-1.3.0-arm64.dmg	Macs with Apple silicon (M1 or later)	e1720957f5794e503dbc8b95b35927c71ced6380b1d0bea5ce0d5ce02bf5ae2f
Synapse-1.3.0-x64.dmg	Intel Macs (untested)	b7c83a791ae992baeec1eac20cc59f986ed72aaaaee28a4a6f7cac9cf63a526d

Requirements: macOS 13 Ventura or later.

Install or update

1. Download the DMG for your Mac and open it.
2. Drag Synapse onto Applications (choose Replace if you are updating).
3. Your notes and preferences live outside the app and are kept.

First launch

1. Open Synapse from Applications. macOS says it cannot verify the app. Click Done.
2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down, and click Open Anyway next to the Synapse message.
3. Confirm with Open Anyway and your password or Touch ID.

You only need to do this once per version.

Known limitations

• Not notarized; updates are announced in the app but installed by hand.
• Intel build not yet tested on Intel hardware.
• Raw HTML in notes is not rendered, for security.
• Split panes run in one direction, with up to four panes.
• Obsidian community plugins are not supported.

Licenses

Synapse is MIT-licensed. Third-party notices for all bundled software (including Electron and Chromium) are inside the app at Synapse.app/Contents/Resources/.

Synapse 1.1.0

Synapse v1.1.0

This release introduces mathematical formula rendering using KaTeX.

What's new

• Render inline mathematical formulas, such as $E=mc^2$.
• Render centered block formulas using double-dollar delimiters.
• Edit formula source directly when the cursor is on the formula line.
• Preserve ordinary text, prices, escaped dollar signs, and code blocks.
• Updated README and documentation.
• Added third-party license notices for KaTeX.

Verification

• 82 unit tests passed.
• 14 end-to-end tests passed after rerunning two initially failing tests.

Download

Download Synapse-1.1.0-arm64.dmg for Macs with Apple Silicon.

Requirements: macOS 13 Ventura or later. Intel Macs are not supported by this build.

Synapse v1.0.0

Synapse v1.0.0

The first public release of Synapse: a calm, local-first Markdown workspace for connected notes on macOS.

Test build — not notarized. This release is ad-hoc signed and has not been notarized by Apple. macOS will warn you the first time you open it. Follow the steps under "First launch" below.

Highlights

• Notes are plain Markdown files in folders you choose. No account, no cloud.
• Live Preview: Markdown syntax hides itself except on the line you are editing, and tables are edited as tables.
• Preferences (theme, fonts, editor, hotkeys, language) are global and survive vault switches. Any single preference can still be overridden for one vault.
• Wiki links with autocomplete, backlinks with context, unlinked mentions, outgoing links, outline, tags and a graph view.
• Quick switcher (⌘O), command palette (⌘P), tabs, split panes, full-text search with operators.
• Light, dark and system themes. English and Italian interface.

Download

File	For	Size	SHA-256
Synapse-1.0.0-arm64.dmg	Macs with Apple silicon (M1 or later)	124 MB	449529004bbcbffba3bdaedd8dc0cd9e6308100c9fc180359d6ccaa9918f969b

Requirements: macOS 13 Ventura or later, on a Mac with Apple silicon. Intel Macs are not supported in this release.

Install

1. Download Synapse-1.0.0-arm64.dmg.
2. Open the downloaded file. A window shows Synapse and your Applications folder.
3. Drag Synapse onto Applications.
4. Eject the "Synapse 1.0.0" disk in Finder.

First launch

Because this build is not notarized, macOS blocks it the first time:

1. Open Synapse from Applications. macOS says it cannot verify the app. Click Done.
2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down, and click Open Anyway next to the Synapse message.
3. Confirm with Open Anyway and your password or Touch ID.

You only need to do this once.

Verify the download (optional)

Compare the SHA-256 checksum above with the one macOS reports for your file. The SHA256SUMS.txt asset contains the same value.

Known limitations

• Not notarized (see above). No automatic updates.
• Apple silicon only.
• Raw HTML in notes is not rendered. No math, Mermaid or code highlighting in the reading view yet.
• Remote images embedded in notes are loaded from the web when you view them.
• Obsidian community plugins are not supported.