Quickstart

The fastest way to understand Cortex is to open an existing Markdown folder and follow the file from disk, through the editor, and back out again.

Open a folder

Choose a folder that already contains Markdown files, or create a small vault for testing. Cortex reads the folder directly instead of copying notes into a proprietary workspace.

~/notes├── inbox.md├── projects│   └── cortex.md└── reading    └── markdown.md

Write in Live Preview

Live Preview keeps Markdown readable while you type. Headings, links, callouts, code, and task lists render close to how they will read, but the source stays plain Markdown.

## Meeting notes- [ ] Confirm sync recovery flow- [x] Keep the source file readable> [!note]> This callout remains Markdown.

Navigate without rebuilding your system

Use search, folders, tags, bookmarks, tabs, and split panes together. Cortex should help you move through the vault you already have, not force a new hierarchy before you can write.

Next steps