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.

15. LaTeX Block

A block for writing and displaying mathematical notation using LaTeX syntax.

• Features:
  • Edit / Preview toggle: Write raw LaTeX in edit mode, switch to preview to see it rendered. Use Ctrl+P to toggle.
  • Inline math: Wrap expressions in $...$ for inline rendering.
  • Display math: Wrap expressions in $$...$$ for centered, block-level equations.
  • Vim mode: Supported when Vim mode is enabled in Account settings.
• Use Case: Documenting algorithms, mathematical proofs, formulas, or any content that benefits from proper mathematical notation.

16. Webhook Block

A live HTTP endpoint on the canvas. Drop one on the canvas to get a URL that any service can POST to. Configure conditions and actions to react to incoming events server-side, without requiring an open browser tab.

See the Automation guide for full configuration details.

17. Cron Block

Executes a canvas action on a configurable schedule. Uses the same action set as the Webhook block, driven by time instead of an event.

See the Automation guide for full configuration details.

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 any edge of a block to adjust its size. Edge handles resize in a single axis only. Snaps to neighboring block edges with the same alignment guides as dragging — hold Shift to disable snapping.
• 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.