an ode to gitsync

Since I moved this site to Hugo, I’ve been using an app called GitJournal to post from my phone. I have a beautiful desk setup with a clacky mechanical keyboard that’s a joy to write on, but the simple fact is that I’m a lazy shit and want to update my blog from the couch. It’s all mostly worked fine, with some headaches. I originally intended to use GitJournal to store my Github repo to my phone’s filesystem and then point an Obsidian¹ vault at that.

Unfortunately, GitJournal currently cannot store the repo in the Android filesystem due to a permissions issue, so I can’t use it with Obsidian. GitJournal’s note-taking app is serviceable, but again, I want to use Obsidian. I’ve been making-do with GitJournal for a few months now — for once in my life, not fixing what’s broken — operating under the assumption that there were no other options.

Allow me to repeat myself: I am a lazy shit.

I am now using GitSync. It’s dead simple: you sign in with your Github account, select the repo you want to clone to your device, and that’s it. Critically for me, however, it has a setting to automatically sync the repo when you open and close certain apps — for me, Obsidian.

This is the beauty of GitSync: it stays out of my way. Now that it’s configured, I don’t have to open it or think about it. I open Obsidian, write my silly little posts, close Obsidian, and I’m done.

Everyone should have their own space on the web, and there are great tools out there like bearblog and Pika and so on. But I’m tired of hoping platforms and losing content: I want to own my space and what I write. I’m an idiot and I generally have no idea what I’m doing, so if you’re of a similar mind to me but daunted by the concept of creating your own website, shoot me an email. I’m not an expert, but I can at least share what I’ve learned and what I’ve set up: a way to run your own website but really just type shit in a note-taking app. Simple and frictionless.²