Knowledge bases
Add folders of Markdown notes — an Obsidian vault works as it is — and read, search and edit them beside your meetings.
A knowledge base is a folder of Markdown notes that PrivateGoat reads in place. An Obsidian vault works as
it is: browse it, search it, follow [[links]], see backlinks and edit with a live preview. The notes stay
in your folder; PrivateGoat keeps only the list of folders you added.
How to use it
- Settings → Knowledge → Knowledge bases → Add Folder…, the sidebar's ＋ (or its quiet Add a folder… row while the list is empty). Choose a folder of Markdown notes.
- Open Knowledge in the sidebar and browse. Folders of any depth are shown.
- Search the base, follow a
[[link]]and use the backlinks panel to see what points at a note. - Edit a note in Read, Edit or Split mode; ⌘E switches between Read and Edit, and Split is in the mode picker. Edits autosave and the preview updates as you type.
- Right-click a knowledge base in the sidebar for Use as Agent Memory, Show in Finder, Rename… and Remove from PrivateGoat; once the base is marked as memory, Review Agent Writes First appears in the same menu. The ＋ beside the note list adds a New Note or New Folder; right-click a note or folder for Rename…, Show in Finder and Move to Trash, and a folder for New Note Here.
A note opened in Obsidian is handed to Obsidian if it is installed; Open in Default App and Show in Finder are there too. Moving a note to Trash removes it from the knowledge base and sends the file to the Trash.
Settings
| Setting | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge bases: add, reorder, Remove | Settings → Knowledge → Knowledge bases | The ⋯ menu reorders or removes a base |
| Review agent writes first | Settings → Knowledge → Knowledge bases, per base | Only meaningful when the base is used as agent memory |
Removing a knowledge base only removes it from the app; every note stays where it is.
What is stored
| Item | Where |
|---|---|
| Your notes | The folder you chose — unchanged, and never copied |
| The list of bases | ~/Library/Application Support/Sonavia/KnowledgeBases.json (id, name, path, added date, agent-memory flag, review flag) |
| The search index | Derived in memory from the folder |
What leaves your Mac
Nothing by PrivateGoat. If the folder you chose is inside iCloud Drive, Dropbox or another synced folder, that service copies the notes; PrivateGoat makes no request.
When it is off or fails
- A note changed elsewhere: "This note changed on disk", with Reload (discard local edits) or Keep Mine.
- A missing folder or an unreadable note: it is skipped rather than replacing the file.
- Removing a base: the notes are untouched.
- A note moved to Trash: the file goes to the Trash as well.
Related
- Agent memory — turning a base into memory your agents share.
- MCP tools reference — the
kb_*tools an agent can call. - What stays on your Mac — the rest of the data map.