Getting Started

Welcome to Memos! This guide will help you get up and running with your new note-taking system in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have Memos installed and running. If you haven't installed it yet, check out our installation guide.

First Login

1. Access your instance: Open your browser and navigate to your Memos instance (e.g., http://localhost:5230)

2. Create your account: On first visit, you'll see a setup screen. Create your admin account:

   • Choose a username (this will be your permanent identifier)
   • Set a secure password
   • Optionally set your display name

Creating Your First Memo

Quick Creation

The fastest way to create a memo:

1. Click the "+" button or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + Enter
2. Type your content using Markdown syntax
3. Click "Save" or press Ctrl/Cmd + Enter to save

Example Memo

Try creating this sample memo:

# My First Memo

Welcome to my **Memos** instance! 

## Today's Tasks
- [x] Install Memos ✨
- [ ] Write my first memo
- [ ] Explore the features

#getting-started #todo

Understanding the Interface

Main Components

• Editor: Where you write and edit your memos
• Memo List: Displays all your memos in chronological order
• Sidebar: Navigation, filters, and settings
• Search Bar: Find memos quickly by content or tags

Key Features

Rich Text Support

• Full Markdown formatting
• Code syntax highlighting
• Mathematical expressions (LaTeX)
• Mermaid diagrams

Organization

• Tags for categorization (#tag-name)
• Date-based browsing
• Full-text search
• Filters and sorting

Sharing & Export

• Public/private memo settings
• Direct link sharing
• Export to various formats

Basic Markdown Syntax

Memos supports GitHub-flavored Markdown. Here are the essentials:

Text Formatting

**Bold text** or __Bold text__
*Italic text* or _Italic text_
~~Strikethrough text~~
`Inline code`

Headers

# Header 1
## Header 2
### Header 3

Lists

- Unordered list item
- Another item
  - Nested item

1. Ordered list item
2. Another item
   1. Nested item

Links and Images

[Link text](https://example.com)
![Alt text](/path/to/image.png)

Code Blocks

```javascript
function greet(name) {
  console.log(`Hello, ${name}!`);
}
```

Using Tags Effectively

Tags help organize your memos. Best practices:

Tag Syntax

#work #project #meeting
#personal #ideas
#tech #programming #javascript

Tag Organization Tips

• Be consistent: Use the same tag format across memos
• Start simple: Begin with broad categories, refine over time
• Use hierarchies: #work/project/alpha for detailed organization
• Avoid over-tagging: 3-5 tags per memo is usually sufficient

Popular Tag Patterns

#daily-notes #journal #reflection
#work #meeting #project-alpha
#learning #tech #docker
#ideas #features #roadmap

Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your workflow with these shortcuts:

Next Steps

Now that you've created your first memo, explore these features:

Common Questions

Q: Can I edit memos after creating them? A: Yes! Click on any memo to edit it. Changes are saved automatically.

Q: Are my memos private? A: By default, yes. You can choose to make specific memos public for sharing.

Q: Can I backup my data? A: Absolutely. Use the export feature or backup your database file directly.

Q: Is there a mobile app? A: Not yet, but the web interface works great on mobile browsers!

Ready to dive deeper? Check out the content syntax guide to learn about advanced formatting options, or explore the API documentation if you're interested in automation.