Ulysses?

YESA focused first version is a sensible AI-assisted build. Keep the first release narrow and polish the workflow people repeat.

BUILD FIRST

One defined user and a repeatable end-to-end job
A small, clear data model with sign-in only if it is genuinely needed
Loading, empty, error, and success states that make the workflow feel complete

LEAVE FOR LATER

Large integration marketplaces
Multi-region scale and enterprise administration
Every power-user setting from the established product

RESEARCH NOTES

What this tool actually does.

Checked 2026-09-06

Ulysses is a premium writing app for Mac, iPad, and iPhone, winner of the Apple Design Award. It offers a distraction-free, markup-based text editor where writers use lightweight tags for structure and formatting, keeping hands on the keyboard. Users organize projects in a library with folders, keywords, and a 'material' collection for reference content. It supports writing goals (word counts, deadlines), goal tracking, and built-in grammar/style checking for over 20 languages. Export options include PDF, Word, and eBooks, plus direct publishing to WordPress, Ghost, Medium, and Micro.blog. All content lives in the Ulysses library and syncs via iCloud across devices. It is available for free download with a subscription required to unlock full functionality, offering monthly/yearly plans with student discount. The latest updates add widgets and an in-text table-of-contents placeholder. No

SOURCES

RESEARCHED BUILD PROMPT

Give this to your coding agent.

Build a cross-platform writing app inspired by the Ulysses workflow, using a different name (e.g. Quillflow) and an original design system. The workflow: a writer opens a distraction-free plain-text editor, types using Markdown-like tags for headings, emphasis, comments, and annotations; creates and reorganizes 'sheets' inside hierarchical 'groups' in a library; attaches keywords and reference material to any group/sheet; sets per-project word-count goals and deadlines with progress indicators; runs a grammar/style checker; then exports to DOCX, PDF, and EPUB or publishes directly to WordPress and Medium. Core user-facing requirements: split view with library sidebar and editor, live formatting preview, inline comments, autosave, full-text search, tags/filtering, drag-and-drop reorganization, typing statistics (words per minute, daily goals), and offline-first operation with automatic sync via iCloud. Technical requirements: native apps for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS using Swift/SwiftUI; local SQLite or Core Data store; sync engine using CloudKit with conflict resolution; export pipeline using a well-tested converter (e.g. Pandoc); grammar checking via a local rule-based engine or an API such as LanguageTool. Implementation approach: build with a shared Swift core package for models and sync, SwiftUI for all three platforms, and a lightweight Markdown parser for in-editor highlighting. Do not copy Ulysses' brand, logo, layout, or feature names; create a new visual style and terminology. Explicitly out of scope: Apple Intelligence features, subscription billing, collaboration, plugins, Android/Windows versions, and web publishing beyond WordPress/Medium. Deliver a README covering setup, project structure, sync design, export pipeline, and known limitations (e.g. grammar-check accuracy, offline conflict behavior, large-library performance).

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