Diarly
Encrypted journal for Apple devices with prompts, templates, and sync
Diarly's solo core is compact: build a local-first private journal app with fast capture, full-text search, backlinks, tags, and Markdown export. A competent builder can reach a useful personal version in one sitting, while the paid product mainly wins on polish, sync, importers.
Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability
What you give up
- conflict-safe multi-device sync
- mature importers and exporters
- collaborative editing and sharing
- native mobile clients
Why people still pay
Diarly: People pay for a writing surface they trust for years, plus migration tools, sync, and tiny interaction details that disappear into habit.
Your build guide
The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.
Before you start
- Node and the Rust toolchain, a supported desktop build environment and an explicitly selected data folder. Remote sync is outside the initial scope.
- Implementation components: Tauri, React and TypeScript for the desktop interface with a narrowly scoped Rust filesystem bridge. SQLite for structured state and search; user-owned files for original documents and attachments.
- Scope boundary: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters
Use these project rules and optional skill references alongside the prompt. Review each skill before adding it to your agent; the AGENTS.md export includes the same guidance.
Optional external skill: vercel-react-best-practices — Improve React and Next.js data fetching, rendering, bundle size and server performance. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: web-design-guidelines — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: sharp-edges — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Project rule — data model: dated journal entries, stable entry IDs, tags, backlinks, attachments and revision snapshots
Project rule — preserve this invariant: A changed title or date cannot break links; local plaintext storage must not be advertised as encrypted without a real encryption layer.
Project rule — acceptance evidence: Rename an entry and retain backlinks; corrupt the search index and rebuild it from exported Markdown without losing a journal entry.
Implementation plan
Phase 1
Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Capture a dated journal entry, browse a timeline, add tags and search a rebuildable FTS index. Keep each entry as Markdown with linked assets and show external-edit conflicts before saving. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters
Phase 2
Durable model. Model dated journal entries, stable entry IDs, tags, backlinks, attachments and revision snapshots Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: A changed title or date cannot break links; local plaintext storage must not be advertised as encrypted without a real encryption layer.
Phase 3
Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Save edits atomically with stable IDs and revision history. Detect external file changes and offer a conflict copy instead of last-write-wins data loss.
Phase 4
Permissions and integration failure. Limit Tauri capabilities to selected folders and commands. Render imported content without executable HTML, and never expose arbitrary shell execution to the webview. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
Phase 5
Portable handoff. Provide a portable folder export with a JSON manifest and original files. Restore to a separate folder; rebuild disposable indexes from sources. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
Phase 6
Acceptance scenarios. Rename an entry and retain backlinks; corrupt the search index and rebuild it from exported Markdown without losing a journal entry. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.
WORKING SLICE Capture a dated journal entry, browse a timeline, add tags and search a rebuildable FTS index. Keep each entry as Markdown with linked assets and show external-edit conflicts before saving. Build this scoped Diarly-inspired workflow with a documented data model and visible failure states. Architecture - Tauri, React and TypeScript for the desktop interface with a narrowly scoped Rust filesystem bridge. - SQLite for structured state and search; user-owned files for original documents and attachments. Prerequisites and limits Node and the Rust toolchain, a supported desktop build environment and an explicitly selected data folder. Remote sync is outside the initial scope. Outside this release: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters Data model and correctness dated journal entries, stable entry IDs, tags, backlinks, attachments and revision snapshots Invariant: A changed title or date cannot break links; local plaintext storage must not be advertised as encrypted without a real encryption layer. Save edits atomically with stable IDs and revision history. Detect external file changes and offer a conflict copy instead of last-write-wins data loss. Security and privacy Limit Tauri capabilities to selected folders and commands. Render imported content without executable HTML, and never expose arbitrary shell execution to the webview. Recovery and export Provide a portable folder export with a JSON manifest and original files. Restore to a separate folder; rebuild disposable indexes from sources. Implementation order 1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Capture a dated journal entry, browse a timeline, add tags and search a rebuildable FTS index. Keep each entry as Markdown with linked assets and show external-edit conflicts before saving. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters 2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model dated journal entries, stable entry IDs, tags, backlinks, attachments and revision snapshots Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: A changed title or date cannot break links; local plaintext storage must not be advertised as encrypted without a real encryption layer. 3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Save edits atomically with stable IDs and revision history. Detect external file changes and offer a conflict copy instead of last-write-wins data loss. 4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Limit Tauri capabilities to selected folders and commands. Render imported content without executable HTML, and never expose arbitrary shell execution to the webview. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results. 5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Provide a portable folder export with a JSON manifest and original files. Restore to a separate folder; rebuild disposable indexes from sources. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README. 6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. Rename an entry and retain backlinks; corrupt the search index and rebuild it from exported Markdown without losing a journal entry. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder. Acceptance Rename an entry and retain backlinks; corrupt the search index and rebuild it from exported Markdown without losing a journal entry. Use real source data or clearly labeled fixtures. Explain unsupported input and provider failures; do not fabricate analytics, delivery receipts, accuracy claims or security guarantees. Optional agent guidance Optional external skill: [vercel-react-best-practices](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/react-best-practices/SKILL.md) — Improve React and Next.js data fetching, rendering, bundle size and server performance. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Optional external skill: [web-design-guidelines](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/web-design-guidelines/SKILL.md) — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Optional external skill: [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Project rule — data model: dated journal entries, stable entry IDs, tags, backlinks, attachments and revision snapshots Project rule — preserve this invariant: A changed title or date cannot break links; local plaintext storage must not be advertised as encrypted without a real encryption layer. Project rule — acceptance evidence: Rename an entry and retain backlinks; corrupt the search index and rebuild it from exported Markdown without losing a journal entry.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md
prompt copied. want to know what dies next week?
new verdicts + top votes, weekly. free. one-click out.
Alternatives to building your own
no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
Diarly pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| free | $0/user | $0/user | Unlimited entries and media; 1 journal; Apple apps; no cross-device sync or encryption |
| premium | — | — | Unlimited journals; iCloud sync across Apple devices; password/encryption, advanced export/themes/search and core AI7-day trial. Official page advertises a first-run new-user discount below $24/year and says a monthly option exists, but does not disclose standard renewal prices. |
| ai+ | — | — | Optional Premium add-on for image-to-text OCR and audio transcriptionMonthly add-on price is not published on the official page. |
free tierUnlimited entries and media in 1 journal
billingmonthly + annual Premium options; exact standard prices hidden; 7-day trial; advertised first-run annual offer is under $24/year in the US
hidden costsThe 'less than $2/month' claim is a new-user first-run discount, not a verified standard renewal price. AI+ is a separately billed add-on with no public amount. Apple Family Sharing can cover up to 5 family members where enabled.
pricing sources checked 2026-08-13 · pricing source ↗
Questions about Diarly
Can you build your own Diarly with AI?
The verdict is yes for the scoped workflow. Diarly's solo core is compact: build a local-first private journal app with fast capture, full-text search, backlinks, tags, and Markdown export. A competent builder can reach a useful personal version in one sitting, while the paid product mainly wins on polish, sync, importers.
What does the Diarly build prompt cover?
The prompt starts with this scope: Capture a dated journal entry, browse a timeline, add tags and search a rebuildable FTS index. Keep each entry as Markdown with linked assets and show external-edit conflicts before saving. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters; collaborative editing and sharing. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.
How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?
Start with the Diarly prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.
How long will this Diarly project take?
The catalogue estimate is one sitting for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.
What would I give up by replacing Diarly?
conflict-safe multi-device sync; mature importers and exporters; collaborative editing and sharing; native mobile clients. Diarly: People pay for a writing surface they trust for years, plus migration tools, sync, and tiny interaction details that disappear into habit.
What can I use instead of building Diarly?
Apple Journal: Prompts, media, app locking and iCloud sync, with no subscription beyond Apple ownership. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.