4 ms·

This is the reason I have always refused to use Bear note taking app irrespective of how good and snappy that app is. Because they keep their notes in a SQLite

This is the reason I have always refused to use Bear note taking app irrespective of how good and snappy that app is. Because they keep their notes in a SQLite db now and even though that file can be backed up and handled locally my notes are not easily accessible to me. I can't easily edit my notes in other editors (which I often like to do on my mac), I can't version controlled backup and sync those files the way I want outside of iCloud (which is what Bear uses). What is sad is that they used to be local files first note app and then they moved to sqlite citing some sync and performance issues.

agos 1y ago
I didn’t know they did this change which means it’s time to think about migrating away from bear. Which is a pity because the software itself is rock solid
- crossroadsguy 1y ago
  Yes, I feel the same. A rock solid app dismantled by just one developer choice. Still I won't diss the devs because it's their choice but "a text note" is the last thing I would want "locked" in a sqlite db and bear is a "plain text note taking app" really. So just sad.
  - strken 1y ago
    From memory the sqlite3 API is something like sqlite3 data.db 'select text from notes' I use sqlite3 to load and query random CSVs all the time. It feels a bit weird to hear data described as "locked" within a SQLite DB, because it's one of the simplest non-text formats for me to read data from. It would surprise me of it took more than five minutes to set up a one-way cron job to dump your notes into plain text files.
    - crossroadsguy 1y ago
      My god! Really? What is this subthread now - bear app fan version of discussions.apple.com? This is just unbelievable! Fucking pitchforks are out literally! I am dealing with plain text notes and you all want me to write sql queries and scripts to access those fucking text files? Are you all (these few people who just jumped in the subthread) pulling some sort of prank of so?
      - strken 1y ago
        I don't even use Bear app, I'm just confused by the idea that anything's "locked" inside sqlite when I deliberately put data there for ease of use. I don't want you to do anything. Use whatever you want! But if you love your tool except for the fact it uses an open database format instead of text files, then lucky you, there's a solution, and it takes all of five minutes.
  - nylonstrung 1y ago
    Is SQLite really "locked in"? It's possible most ubiquitous open source software ever (far more common than markdown) and your notes exist in fully readable text form inside it Bear being proprietary is the real threat of lock in
canadiantim 1y ago
Sqlite is still local first. Couldn’t they just also provide you with notes via obsidian-like file folder structure while using sqlite for in-app performance?
- crossroadsguy 1y ago
  That was exactly my thought. But no I guess they won't. Because they had good old plain text files but they changed to sqlite db and apparently the reason they gave is sync related challenges. Since it's not a FOSS app I don't know the challenges and I feel all other text based notes/editor apps that work on plain text files on disk must be doing something right/different. I don't know. And as for sqlite being local first - it's not the same. It's the nature of the data a plain text note taking app deals with that neuters that very idea of those plain text notes by storing in a local sqlite db.
throw10920 1y ago
> What is sad is that they used to be local files first note app and then they moved to sqlite citing some sync and performance issues. They're still a local-first note application. It's just slightly harder for you to edit your notes externally, and not even by that much - it's very easy to directly query (read and write) SQLite databases, and if you really cared you could have made a script to grab a note, export it to a temporary text file, allow you to edit it, then update the SQLite database. > I can't version controlled backup and sync those files You absolutely can - you can dump SQLite databases to text files that contain SQL queries that will restore the database that you can then backup and sync: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75675/how-to-dump-the-data-of-some-sqlite3-tables#199221 https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75675/how-to-dump-the-da... > then they moved to sqlite citing some sync and performance issues Yes, that's because "plain text" files are bad for performance and harder to sync correctly. For people who (1) have over a hundred thousand notes they want to keep (like me) and (2) want maximum confidence that they're not going to lose years worth of work, that's incredibly important. The devs made the right choice. You can always write scripts to interface with a SQLite database with an external editor. You can't take plain text files and magically make them as fast and durable as a database.
- crossroadsguy 1y ago
  Goodness! Are you a bear dev by any chance or a dedicated member of its particularly toxic subreddit? Because the tone fits right in. > It's just slightly harder for you to edit your notes externally Yup, just slightly harder! Very slightly. A difference of 3.75 picoseconds. Couldn't agree more. > it's very easy to directly query Right! > and if you really cared..have made a script And designed a nuclear reactor while I was at it, isn't it? > The devs made the right choice Yessss!! Finally. Ffs!!!
  - throw10920 1y ago
    This comment does not contribute to the discussion and badly breaks the HN guidelines. Please review them: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html Also interesting to note that you couldn't actually muster a coherent response to any of my points and just had to make ad hominem attacks and emotional outbursts.

agos 1y ago

I didn’t know they did this change which means it’s time to think about migrating away from bear. Which is a pity because the software itself is rock solid

crossroadsguy 1y ago
Yes, I feel the same. A rock solid app dismantled by just one developer choice. Still I won't diss the devs because it's their choice but "a text note" is the last thing I would want "locked" in a sqlite db and bear is a "plain text note taking app" really. So just sad.
- strken 1y ago
  From memory the sqlite3 API is something like sqlite3 data.db 'select text from notes' I use sqlite3 to load and query random CSVs all the time. It feels a bit weird to hear data described as "locked" within a SQLite DB, because it's one of the simplest non-text formats for me to read data from. It would surprise me of it took more than five minutes to set up a one-way cron job to dump your notes into plain text files.
  - crossroadsguy 1y ago
    My god! Really? What is this subthread now - bear app fan version of discussions.apple.com? This is just unbelievable! Fucking pitchforks are out literally! I am dealing with plain text notes and you all want me to write sql queries and scripts to access those fucking text files? Are you all (these few people who just jumped in the subthread) pulling some sort of prank of so?
    - strken 1y ago
      I don't even use Bear app, I'm just confused by the idea that anything's "locked" inside sqlite when I deliberately put data there for ease of use. I don't want you to do anything. Use whatever you want! But if you love your tool except for the fact it uses an open database format instead of text files, then lucky you, there's a solution, and it takes all of five minutes.
- nylonstrung 1y ago
  Is SQLite really "locked in"? It's possible most ubiquitous open source software ever (far more common than markdown) and your notes exist in fully readable text form inside it Bear being proprietary is the real threat of lock in

canadiantim 1y ago

Sqlite is still local first. Couldn’t they just also provide you with notes via obsidian-like file folder structure while using sqlite for in-app performance?

crossroadsguy 1y ago
That was exactly my thought. But no I guess they won't. Because they had good old plain text files but they changed to sqlite db and apparently the reason they gave is sync related challenges. Since it's not a FOSS app I don't know the challenges and I feel all other text based notes/editor apps that work on plain text files on disk must be doing something right/different. I don't know. And as for sqlite being local first - it's not the same. It's the nature of the data a plain text note taking app deals with that neuters that very idea of those plain text notes by storing in a local sqlite db.

throw10920 1y ago

> What is sad is that they used to be local files first note app and then they moved to sqlite citing some sync and performance issues. They're still a local-first note application. It's just slightly harder for you to edit your notes externally, and not even by that much - it's very easy to directly query (read and write) SQLite databases, and if you really cared you could have made a script to grab a note, export it to a temporary text file, allow you to edit it, then update the SQLite database. > I can't version controlled backup and sync those files You absolutely can - you can dump SQLite databases to text files that contain SQL queries that will restore the database that you can then backup and sync: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75675/how-to-dump-the-data-of-some-sqlite3-tables#199221 https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75675/how-to-dump-the-da... > then they moved to sqlite citing some sync and performance issues Yes, that's because "plain text" files are bad for performance and harder to sync correctly. For people who (1) have over a hundred thousand notes they want to keep (like me) and (2) want maximum confidence that they're not going to lose years worth of work, that's incredibly important. The devs made the right choice. You can always write scripts to interface with a SQLite database with an external editor. You can't take plain text files and magically make them as fast and durable as a database.

crossroadsguy 1y ago
Goodness! Are you a bear dev by any chance or a dedicated member of its particularly toxic subreddit? Because the tone fits right in. > It's just slightly harder for you to edit your notes externally Yup, just slightly harder! Very slightly. A difference of 3.75 picoseconds. Couldn't agree more. > it's very easy to directly query Right! > and if you really cared..have made a script And designed a nuclear reactor while I was at it, isn't it? > The devs made the right choice Yessss!! Finally. Ffs!!!
- throw10920 1y ago
  This comment does not contribute to the discussion and badly breaks the HN guidelines. Please review them: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html Also interesting to note that you couldn't actually muster a coherent response to any of my points and just had to make ad hominem attacks and emotional outbursts.