Why I Built Notic

Source: Dev.to

The tab overload problem

I had 47 tabs open. Again.

Somewhere in that mess was a note I’d written to myself three hours ago. It was in a Google Doc. Or maybe a Notion page. Or one of those “New Tab” pages I use as a scratchpad and forget about.

I never found it.

This happens to me constantly. I’m researching something, I have a thought, I jot it down somewhere, and then it disappears into the void of my browser. By the time I need it, I’ve forgotten where I put it. Or worse, I’ve closed the tab.

The problem isn’t note‑taking apps

There are hundreds of note apps. I’ve tried most of them—Notion, Obsidian, Apple Notes, Google Keep, random markdown files. They’re all fine.

The problem is that none of them stay visible while I work.

When I’m reading an article and want to take notes, I have to:

1. Switch to my notes app
2. Write something
3. Switch back to the article
4. Lose my place
5. Try to remember what I was thinking

By step 4, my brain has already moved on. The context switch kills the thought.

What I actually wanted

A notepad that floats on top of everything. Like a sticky note, but for my browser.

• Something I can glance at while reading.
• Something that doesn’t disappear when I click on another tab.
• Something that’s just… there.

So I built it.

What Notic does

Notic is a floating notepad for your browser. You open it, and it stays on top of whatever you’re looking at. Write notes while you browse. No tab switching. No losing your place.

It’s that simple—a window that floats.

Once I started using it, I realized I needed a few more things:

• Markdown support – bullet points, headers, etc. Plain text feels limiting.
• Multiple notes – one scratchpad isn’t enough; I need separate notes for different projects.
• Sync – I work on multiple devices; my notes need to follow me.
• Dark mode – I stare at screens all day; my eyes need a break.

The Chrome extension

The latest thing I’m shipping is a Chrome extension that adds a few superpowers:

• Save current page – one click to capture the URL and title into a note.
• Screenshot page – grab a visual snapshot.
• Save all open tabs – select all your tabs and save them as a note in one click. Finally, a way to close those 47 tabs without losing everything.

It’s in review right now and should be live in a day or two.

Why I’m writing this

I’m building Notic in public, sharing the process, the wins, and the failures.

If you:

• Have too many tabs open,
• Lose notes in random places, or
• Wish your notepad would just stay visible while you work,

then Notic might be for you.

Try it at getnotic.io. It’s free to start.

You can follow the updates on Twitter/X and here on this blog.