A research canvas that combines Claude, notes, and sources
Thinking Canvas is a research tool that puts Claude chats, webpages, PDFs, and notes on one open canvas. A person can keep source material and AI conversations side by side instead of switching between a browser, a notes app, and a chat app. Chat nodes can branch into separate lines of thought, so a side question does not need to interrupt the main research path.
Chats can also connect to resources, such as rewriting a note, reading a webpage, or adding a PDF to . Notes are stored as local-first Markdown files, so they can also be edited in tools like Obsidian. The tool is free to use, but Claude still creates through an API key or a .
Example uses include reviewing computer history, finding products that turn handwriting into digital text, and studying Reddit discussions for marketing copy. Similar tools include Obsidian Canvas, NotebookLM, Heptabase, and Slashspace, but Thinking Canvas focuses on combining canvas notes, Claude chat, , branching chats, and source connections in one place. The project has a website at thinkingcanvas.xyz and is on GitHub.
Key points
- Claude chats, webpages, PDFs, and notes can live together on one canvas.
- Chat nodes can branch, which helps keep side research separate from the main thread.
- Notes are saved as local-first Markdown files.
- The app is free, but Claude still apply through an API key or .
- The project is on GitHub.