SwiftMap - Minimal Mind Map Editor

A lightning-fast, distraction-free mind map editor built directly into VS Code. Edit beautiful tree-structured diagrams with an intuitive visual interface backed by a clean, portable text format.

Home page: https://swiftmap.pages.dev/

Features

• Visual Editor - Create and edit mind maps in an interactive graph editor
• Text-Based Format - Store your mind maps in plain .swiftmap files for version control
• Instant Sync - Switch between visual and text editor seamlessly
• Status & Priority - Mark nodes with status (in progress, blocked, done, rejected) and priority levels
• Tags - Organize with tags (question, task, idea)
• Undo/Redo - Full undo/redo support with keyboard shortcuts
• Export - Export your mind maps as PNG images
• Auto Layout - Automatic hierarchical layout - just focus on content
• Keyboard Friendly - Quick keyboard shortcuts for power users:
  • Shift + Enter - Add child node
  • Alt + Enter - Add sibling node below
  • Shift + Alt + Enter - Add sibling node above
  • Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y - Undo/Redo
  • Space - Toggle collapse/expand
  • Ctrl + Up/Down - Reorder nodes

Getting Started

Create a New Mind Map

1. Open VS Code command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
2. Type "SwiftMap: New Mind Map"
3. Start organizing your thoughts!

Open Existing Files

Simply open any .swiftmap file - it automatically opens in the visual editor.

Switch Between Views

• Visual Editor → Source: Click the "Open Source" icon in the editor title bar
• Source → Visual Editor: Click the "Open Visual Editor" icon in the editor title bar

Keyboard Shortcuts

Status & Priority Management

• Status: Ctrl+Alt+4 = In Progress, Ctrl+Alt+5 = Blocked, Ctrl+Alt+6 = Done, Ctrl+Alt+7 = Rejected
• Priority: Ctrl+Alt+1 = Low, Ctrl+Alt+2 = Medium, Ctrl+Alt+3 = High
• Tags: Ctrl+Alt+8 = Question, Ctrl+Alt+9 = Task, Ctrl+Alt+0 = Idea

Or use the right-click context menu for easy access to all options.

Use Cases

• Project Planning - Break down projects into hierarchical tasks
• Personal Roadmaps - Plan your learning and career goals
• Brainstorming - Capture and organize ideas visually
• Documentation - Create structured outlines for documentation
• Decision Trees - Map out decision processes and workflows

File Format

SwiftMap uses a simple, text-based format that's easy to version control and share. The format is fully documented - see the project repository for details.

Tips & Tricks

• Multi-select: Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click nodes to select multiple nodes
• Drag & Drop: Drag selected nodes onto another node to move them
• Right-click Menu: Get quick access to all node operations via context menu
• Zoom: Use scroll wheel or pinch gestures to zoom in/out
• Pan: Click and drag the canvas to move around

Learn More

• Project Repository
• File Format Specification
• Examples

License

GPL-3.0

Ready to organize your thoughts? Install SwiftMap now and experience a new way to mind map! 🚀