The vault
Where Geneziz stores your knowledge base, the plain Markdown + YAML frontmatter format, and what you own - plain files, readable in any editor.
Where your files live
Your knowledge base is a directory of plain files on your machine. The desktop app uses the platform data directory:
| Platform | Default location |
|---|---|
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Geneziz |
| Windows | %APPDATA%\Geneziz |
The GENEZIZ_DATA_DIR environment variable overrides the location - the desktop app and the geneziz mcp server both honor it, which is how an AI client launched outside the app finds the same vault.
The format
Everything is plain Markdown with YAML frontmatter. Every item carries its category, tags, a one-line description, and a priority rating in the frontmatter; the body holds the content. The file format is open - the app itself is a proprietary product, but your files are not locked in.
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
bookmarks.md | Chronological bookmarks, newest first |
knowledge/tools/*.md | One file per tool/repo |
knowledge/articles/*.md | One file per article |
knowledge/media/ | Downloaded images and media |
Sample tool file:
---
title: Tokio
type: tool
date_added: 2026-06-16
source: https://github.com/tokio-rs/tokio
tags:
- rust
- async
- runtime
description: A runtime for writing reliable asynchronous applications with Rust.
---
The file body holds the README / notes for this item.
What you own
The files are yours:
- Open any file in any text editor
- Search the whole vault with
grep - Track it in git, back it up, or sync it with any tool you already use
There is no cloud dependency. Every file remains readable with or without Geneziz running - if you ever stop using the app, the knowledge base survives as-is.
Related
Sources covers how items arrive. AI modes covers local processing - AI enrichment runs on your machine with Ollama if you prefer nothing to leave it. The overview ties the pipeline together, and /landing has the product details.