How to use Kari?

Kari is a scratchpad app that combines note-taking with live code execution. It doesn’t aim to replace other note-taking apps — it shines when you want a quick place to offload thoughts, do back-of-the-envelope calculations, or run code snippets on the fly.

Getting Started

When you first open Kari, you’ll be prompted to set up your database. Once that’s done, you’ll land on your first scratchpad — a blank canvas ready for your thoughts.

A scratchpad is a single document made up of blocks. Each block can be a different type: markdown for text, JavaScript for code, math for calculations, or JSON for structured data.

To create a new scratchpad, use ⌘ + N. You can manage your scratchpads from the sidebar.

Free tier: You can create up to 4 scratchpads for free. Unlock unlimited scratchpads with a license.

Code Block Types

Kari supports four code block types, each with its own capabilities:

Block Type	Description
Markdown	Rich text with headings, lists, links, checkboxes
JavaScript	Live-evaluated JS code with inline results
Math	Natural math expressions with unit conversions
JSON	Syntax-highlighted JSON data

Blocks are created using fenced code syntax ( ``` ) with the appropriate language tag: js, math, or json. Everything outside of code fences is treated as markdown.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Create new scratchpad	⌘ + N
Toggle app focus	⌥ + A
Insert separator	⌘ + return
Insert code block	⌘ + G
Go to top	⌘ + K
Go to bottom	⌘ + J
Quick export selection	⌘ + S

You can customize all keyboard shortcuts from Settings → Hotkeys.

Insert Separator

When you hit ⌘ + return, Kari inserts a horizontal rule (---) to visually separate sections of your scratchpad.

JavaScript Blocks

Write JavaScript inside a ```js code fence and Kari will evaluate it live. Results appear inline next to each expression.

let items = [10, 20, 30]
items.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0) // → 60

How it works:

Each statement is evaluated independently using a sandboxed environment
Variable declarations (let, const, var) and functions persist across lines within the same block
Arrays and objects are formatted for readability
Errors are shown inline so you can debug as you type

Math Blocks

Write math expressions inside a ```math code fence. Results are computed automatically.

Operators

Operator	Symbols
Addition	+, plus
Subtraction	-, minus
Multiplication	*, times
Division	/, divide
Modulo	%

10 + 5 = 15

$100 * 3 people = $300

$20 times 3 = $60

Percentage

Use the of operator with percentages:

20% of 10 = 2

Variables

Assign values to variables with =. Variable names cannot contain whitespace.

age = 10

in_five_years = age + 5

Previous Result

The keyword that stores the value of the previous expression:

10 + 10 = 20

that = 20

$10 times 3 people = $30.00

that - 15% = $25.50

Unit Conversion

Use the to keyword to convert between units:

Length (cm, m, km, etc.)
Degrees and radians
And more

10cm to m

20m to cm

Numbers

Numbers are base 10 by default. Use prefixes for other bases:

0b00010 = 2 (binary)

0x29 = 41 (hexadecimal)

0o51 = 41 (octal)

Arrays

Group values with brackets and use array functions:

arr = [1, 2, 3, 4]

sum(arr) = 10

Constants

pi = 3.1415926535898

e = 2.718281828459

Functions

Function	Description
abs(x)	Absolute value of a number
ceil(x)	Round towards plus infinity
floor(x)	Round towards minus infinity
cube(x)	Compute x * x * x
square(x)	Compute x * x
pow(x, y)	Calculates x to the power of y
sqrt(x)	Square root of a value
log(x, base)	Logarithm of a value (default base is e)
hypot(a, b, c, …)	Hypotenuse: sqrt(a² + b² + c² + …)
sum(arr)	Sum all values in an array

Money

Prefix a number with $ to treat it as currency. USD is the default:

$30 = 30.00 USD

Specify a currency with its short code after the amount:

5 usd = 5.00 USD
2 aud = 2.00 AUD

Exporting

Kari lets you export a selection in scratchpad content to other apps. Once you selected some text, either with mouse drag or quick select using ⌘ + A, open the export menu from the top bar to access export options. Optionally, ⌘ + S would automatically save your selection to a default app of your choice.

Apple Notes (macOS)

Export directly to Apple Notes. You can create a new note or append to an existing one. Kari will format your content for Notes automatically.

Obsidian

Export to any Obsidian vault on your system. Kari detects available vaults and lets you create or append to notes within them.

Window Docking (macOS)

Dock Kari to an edge of your screen for quick access. Enable docking from Settings → General and choose an edge: left, right, top, or bottom.

When docked, hover near the edge to peek at Kari, or use the global shortcut to toggle it open.

Themes

Kari supports Dark, Light, and System themes. Change the theme from Settings → General.

Data Storage

Your scratchpads are stored in a local SQLite database. The database path is configured during initial setup and can be changed in settings. No data leaves your machine unless you explicitly export it.