Why I use iA Writer:
My writing folder is not only Markdown. It contains PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets, slides, XMind maps, screenshots, and source material I often use as AI context.
There is a tiny acronym joke here: I use iA Writer to do IA, information architecture, putting information in the right place; then I use AI to work with that information. IA / AI are just the same two letters reversed, but in my workflow they really do help each other.
I have not abandoned Obsidian. When I need links, backlinks, properties, and database-style knowledge work, I still switch back. But when I am writing inside a mixed folder, iA Writer fits better.
In Obsidian, I often had to move between the vault and Finder. It can show non-Markdown files, and plugins can add icons, but once my library became large, that layer started to feel slow.
iA Writer gives me something simpler: a native-feeling file tree on the left, and a clean Markdown editor on the right. Markdown stays in iA Writer. Word opens in Word. Excel opens in Excel. PDFs stay PDFs. Each file stays where it belongs and opens with the tool that fits it.
I also like that it is not WYSIWYG. The editor keeps the Markdown marks visible, and Preview handles the rendered result separately. When I write, I see sentences and structure, not a formatting surface constantly asking for attention.
My only complaint: when is Outline coming to Mac? Windows already has Folding / Dynamic Outline. iA once answered requests for other platforms with “patience, please…” I am trying. Some days my patience needs its own Focus Mode.
So my current split is: Obsidian for linked knowledge and database-style work; iA Writer for quiet writing inside a real mixed folder.
For me, it is not an Obsidian replacement. It is a better front stage for this specific workflow.
@iAWriter@iA
Maybe the future of AI splits into two camps: Earth-bound AI like Anthropic's Claude, and space-bound AI like SpaceX AI. One serves humanity on the ground, the other carries it to the stars.
Maybe the future of AI splits into two camps: Earth-bound AI like Anthropic's Claude, and space-bound AI like SpaceX AI. One serves humanity on the ground, the other carries it to the stars.
Maybe the future of AI splits into two camps: Earth-bound AI like Anthropic's Claude, and space-bound AI like SpaceX AI. One serves humanity on the ground, the other carries it to the stars.
Just as SpaceX launches hundreds of satellites for competitors with fair terms and pricing, we will provide compute to AI companies that are taking the right steps to ensure it is good for humanity.
We reserve the right to reclaim the compute if their AI engages in actions that harm humanity.
Doing our best to achieve a great future with amazing abundance for all.
We will make mistakes, as to err is human, but always take rapid action to address them.
Effective today, we are:
1) Doubling Claude Code’s 5-hour rate limits for Pro, Max, and Team plans;
2) Removing the peak hours limit reduction on Claude Code for Pro and Max plans; and
3) Substantially raising our API rate limits for Opus models.
GPT-5.5 Instant is starting to roll out in ChatGPT.
It’s a big upgrade, giving you smarter, clearer, and more personalized answers in a warmer, more natural tone.
And it's also more concise, which we heard you wanted. We think you'll love chatting with it.