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 for organizing workflows.

• Features:
  • Columns: Create, rename, delete, and reorder columns to match your workflow stages.
  • Tasks: Add tasks within each column, edit text, toggle completion checkboxes, and delete tasks.
  • Drag-and-Drop: Organize tasks by dragging them within the same column to reorder, moving them between columns in the same Kanban board, or transferring them across different Kanban blocks. You can also drag checklist items from Checklist blocks directly into Kanban columns, and move entire columns between different Kanban boards.
• Use Case: Sprint planning, workflow visualization, task status tracking, and project stage management.

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.