Philosophy
The principles behind Monolith. Why files, why friction, why one focus.
What is Monolith?
It’s not a regular task manager. Monolith asks you one question: what are you going to do right now?
It doesn’t ask you to organize everything, color-code, or plan your whole week. Just one thing: now, what are you doing?
What for?
Reduce the infinite question of “where do I start?” to a single decision: this now, the rest later.
How to use it?
When you open the app, you see one task in large text. That’s your answer. Nothing else. When you finish, the next one appears.
Philosophy
Fewer options, less paralysis. One thing at a time.
Why plain text files?
Because your data belongs to you. Not in a cloud that might shut down, not in a format only this app understands, not on a server someone else controls. They’re .md files you can open with any editor even if Monolith disappears tomorrow.
What for?
So your tasks and projects live in files you can take anywhere, without depending on an app.
How does it work?
Monolith reads and writes .md files directly in your vault. There’s no database. What you see in the app is what’s in the files.
Philosophy
The most durable format that exists is plain text. It doesn’t expire, doesn’t corrupt, doesn’t need an app to be understood.
Why is postponing so hard?
Because postponing without thought doesn’t work. It’s too easy to close the app and forget. Here, if you want to put something off, you have to write why and pick a date. That small effort makes you think twice.
What for?
So postponing is a conscious decision, not a reflex. If you really need to move something, you can — but with a reason and a date.
How does it work?
When you try to reschedule a task, a modal appears asking: (1) a reason of at least 10 characters, (2) a specific date. It can’t be closed without deciding.
Philosophy
Friction isn’t punishment. It’s the brake the brain needs to stop putting everything off until tomorrow.
Why won’t it let you save without subtasks?
Because “study physics” isn’t something you can do now. It’s an idea, not an action. “Open the book to page 45” is something you can actually do. The app forces you to break your ideas down to the first real step before saving.
What for?
Turn vague tasks into concrete steps you can execute without thinking. The first step is the hardest.
How does it work?
When creating a task, the save button stays disabled until you add at least one subtask with an estimated time. No exceptions.
Philosophy
The brain doesn’t execute abstract ideas. It executes physical steps. Subtasks are the bridge.
Why only one focus per day?
Because choosing is exhausting. Having five important projects and not knowing where to start is worse than having just one and making progress. Each morning you pick one project. That’s your north. The rest can wait.
What for?
Protect your attention. If you have a focus today, everything else can wait without guilt.
How does it work?
Each morning the Focus Routine guides you to choose one project. After that, the main screen only shows tasks from that project. You can change it during the day if needed.
Philosophy
Multitasking doesn’t exist. What we call multitasking is switching from one thing to another and losing energy with every jump.
What Monolith is not
If you’re coming from other apps, it’s best to know upfront what you WON’T find. Monolith doesn’t compete with them — it does something different.
- Not another to-do list. No folders, color labels, priorities or filters. One question: what are you doing now?
- Not a calendar. No dragging blocks across a grid. Times are typed, not dragged.
- Not a project manager. No kanban, gantt, or team views. It’s personal.
- Not an Obsidian replacement. It lives in your vault, it doesn’t compete with it.
- No gamification. No points, streaks or rewards. Motivation doesn’t come from a badge.
- Doesn’t need internet. Everything works offline. No accounts, no sign-up.
- Not mobile. It’s built for desktop, to sit down and work. (The companion app exists for sync and quick reference.)
Philosophy
Monolith doesn’t try to do everything. It tries to do one thing well: help you know what to do now.