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Ideon

Blocks

Blocks are the fundamental units of content in Ideon. Every item on the canvas is a block.

Core Concepts

  • Position: Every block has x, y coordinates.
  • Dimensions: Most blocks can be resized.
  • Connections: Blocks can be connected to visualize relationships. Links can also have text labels.
  • Selection: Blocks can be grouped and moved together.

Block Types

0. Core Block

The root block of every project. It is automatically created when a project is initialized.

  • Features: Displays the project title and description.
  • Use Case: Serves as the central anchor or "home" for the project canvas.

1. Note Block

A simple text note supporting Markdown.

  • Features: Rich text, lists, code blocks.
  • Shortcuts: Ctrl+B (Bold), Ctrl+I (Italic), Ctrl+U (Underline), Ctrl+K (Link), Ctrl+Z (Undo), Ctrl+Y (Redo).
  • Use Case: Quick thoughts, sticky notes, labels.

2. Snippet Block

A code editor with syntax highlighting.

  • Features: Supports several languages, copy-to-clipboard.
  • Use Case: Storing algorithms, config files, or queries.

3. Link Block

A bookmark to an external resource.

  • Features: Automatically fetches and displays a rich preview card with the page title, description, and image.
  • Use Case: linking to documentation, inspiration, or external tools.

4. Contact Block

Represents a person or a role.

  • Features: Name, role, contact info.
  • Use Case: Mapping stakeholders, team members, or user personas.

5. Checklist Block

A task list with checkboxes.

  • Features:
    • Add/remove items, check/uncheck.
    • Drag-and-drop: Reorder tasks or move them between different checklist blocks.
    • Indentation: Use Tab to indent (nest) tasks and Shift+Tab to outdent.
  • Use Case: Todo lists, requirements, acceptance criteria.

6. Palette Block

A color palette generator and storage.

  • Features: Generate palettes, store hex codes.
  • Use Case: Design systems, branding.

7. Video Block

Embeds a video player.

  • Features: Supports YouTube/Vimeo links.
  • Use Case: Tutorials, demos, references.

8. GitHub & Git Block

A powerful integration to display repository metadata and live statistics from various Git providers.

  • Multi-Provider Support: Compatible with GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, and Forgejo.
  • Live Stats: Displays stars, latest release, last commit date, open issues, and contributors.
  • Private & Self-Hosted Repositories:
    • To access private repositories or self-hosted instances (e.g., a private GitLab server), you must configure a Git Token in your User Settings.
    • Ideon uses the token to authenticate and identify the provider type.
  • Use Case: Tracking dependencies, project repositories, or monitoring health across different forges.

9. File Block

Allows uploading or linking to files.

  • Features:
    • Multimedia Support: Native playback for audio (.mp3) and video (.mp4) files directly within the canvas.
  • Use Case: Attaching design assets, demo recordings, PDFs, or other documents.

10. Sketch Block

A powerful whiteboard tool for diagrams, wireframes, and freehand sketches, powered by a full Excalidraw integration.

  • Features:
    • Full Excalidraw Toolset: Use all standard Excalidraw features (shapes, arrows, layers, and library).
    • Import Sketches: Drag and drop any .excalidraw file onto the canvas to instantly create a new Sketch block with its content.
  • Use Case: Brainstorming, architectural diagrams, wireframing, or visual annotations.

11. Shell Block

A fully interactive terminal embedded in the canvas, powered by xterm.js and node-pty.

  • Environment: Runs commands directly on the hosted instance (the server running Ideon).
  • Note: SSH connections are not yet supported.
  • Features:
    • Start/Stop/Kill: Manage the lifecycle of the shell session.
      • Stop: Pauses the session while preserving the scrollback buffer for instant resume.
      • Kill: Destroys the session entirely.
    • Zero RAM: Consumes no memory when stopped.
  • Access Control: Restricted to project creators and owners.
  • Use Case: Running scripts, checking logs, or managing infrastructure directly from the canvas.
  • Disable: Set SHELL_MAX_SESSIONS=0 in your environment variables to completely disable this feature.

12. Kanban Block

A visual task management board with customizable columns, custom fields, team assignees, and Markdown descriptions for comprehensive workflow organization.

  • Board Management:

    • Columns: Create, rename, delete, reorder, and resize columns to match workflow stages. Each column supports descriptions and custom colors for visual organization.
    • Board Settings: Configure visible fields, set default values, and organize your board layout from a centralized settings panel.

  • Task Management:

    • Task Creation: Add tasks directly within columns with titles and detailed descriptions.
    • Descriptions: Write task descriptions using Markdown, supporting code blocks, tables, links, and formatted text for rich task documentation.
    • Completion Status: Toggle task completion status with a checkbox; completed tasks remain visible on the board.
    • Task Attributes: Edit task text, descriptions, assign collaborators, and fill custom fields directly from the task modal.

  • Custom Fields: Organize tasks with your own fields beyond task titles. Supports four field types:

    • Text: Simple text input for notes, URLs, or any text data.
    • Date: Date picker for deadlines, start dates, or milestones.
    • Single Select: Dropdown with custom options and color coding for categorization (e.g., Priority, Component, Type).
    • Number: Numeric values for story points, complexity estimates, or other metrics.
    • Each field can be made visible/hidden per view, have default values, and be reordered in the board settings.

  • Team Collaboration:

    • Multi-Assignee Support: Assign multiple collaborators to a single task, showing avatar stacks on cards for easy identification.
    • Role-Based Permissions: Team members can edit assigned tasks based on their project role (Creator/Owner = full edit, Editor = modify tasks, Viewer = read-only).

  • Drag-and-Drop Interactions:

    • Within Board: Reorder tasks within columns, move tasks between columns.
    • Cross-Board: Transfer tasks between different Kanban blocks in the same project.
    • Cross-Block: Drag checklist items from Checklist blocks directly into Kanban columns.
    • Column Drag: Move entire columns between Kanban boards.
    • Visual Feedback: Preview highlights during drag operations show placement targets.

  • Use Case: Sprint planning, agile workflow tracking, project stage management, feature prioritization, team task coordination, and complex project workflows.

13. Folder Block

A structural block used to organize and scope your canvas content.

  • Features:
    • Organization: Group related blocks by connecting them to a Folder block.
    • Collapse/Expand: Click the collapse icon to hide all descendant blocks, keeping your canvas clean.
    • Import: Dragging a physical folder from your computer onto the canvas creates a Folder block containing all its compatible files.
  • Use Case: Scoping features, managing complex project hierarchies, or creating specific work areas.

14. Vercel Block

Monitor and manage your Vercel deployments directly from your workspace.

  • Features:
    • Live Monitoring: Track deployment status, production URLs, and project activity.
    • Deployment Actions: Trigger redeploys and manage environment variables (requires appropriate permissions).
    • Integration: Securely connects via OAuth or Personal Access Tokens (PAT).
  • Use Case: Dev-ops monitoring, quick access to project previews, and deployment lifecycle management.

Interacting with Blocks

Ideon provides intuitive ways to interact with blocks on the canvas:

  • Drag & Drop: Click and hold any block to move it around the infinite canvas.
  • Import via Drop: Drag files or folders from your local machine directly onto the canvas to import them instantly:
    • .md files are imported as Note blocks.
    • .excalidraw files are imported as Sketch blocks.
    • Folders are imported as Folder blocks, preserving their hierarchy.
    • All other supported files are imported as File blocks.
  • Resize: Drag the corners or edges of a block to adjust its size.
  • Connect: Drag a line from one block's handle (the small dots on the sides) to another block to create a relationship.
    • Labels: Double-click on a connection line to add a text label (e.g., "depends on", "blocked by").
  • Edit: Double-click the body of a block to edit its content (text, code, checklists, etc.).
  • Vim Mode: Enable Vim keybindings for Note and Snippet blocks via the toggle in your Account Page.
  • React: Hover over a block and click the emoji icon to add a reaction. This is great for asynchronous voting or acknowledging updates without cluttering the canvas.
  • Context Menu: Right-click a block to access advanced options like Locking, Duplicate, Delete, or Bring to Front/Send to Back.
  • Multi-Select: Hold Shift and click multiple blocks, or drag a selection box around them to move or delete them as a group.