The 3 rules
- One center: a single topic in the middle (e.g. “Launch”, “Thesis”, “Trip”).
- Branch out: child nodes for sub-ideas; keep one keyword per node.
- Grow freely: rearrange, color, and link — the map grows as big as your thinking.
What are they good for?
- Brainstorming: capture fast without judging, then cluster.
- Studying: one map per chapter beats ten pages of linear notes.
- Planning: break a goal into branches, then turn branches into tasks.
- Writing: outline left-to-right, then export the outline as Markdown.
How MonoMap does it
Infinite canvas, Tab to branch, Enter to continue, Space to rename. Live Markdown split view builds the map as you type. Notes, links, colors, and icons attach to any node. Everything stays local and works offline.
When thinking becomes doing, turn a node into a card or a branch into a board — see What is a Kanban Board? — and explore all features. Curious how it stacks up? See how MonoMap compares to Miro and XMind.
Make one in 60 seconds
- 1. Open MonoMap — no sign-up.
- 2. Rename the center node to your topic.
- 3. Press Tab to branch, type an idea, press Enter for siblings.
- 4. Drag to arrange, export as Markdown or PNG.