FNote v2

From Monolith to Masterpiece

With the... unimpressive results and horrible underlying architecture of FNote v1 (all 2100+ lines in one file), I chose to abandon the project and start from scratch. FNote v1 was built with an older AI, and I knew the newer models were capable of so much more. This time, I also made a crucial architectural decision: use an HTML/CSS/JS frontend with a Python backend.

To this day, AIs still suck at creating complex UIs with Python libraries like `tkinter` or `PyQt`. But they are masters of web technologies—this very website is proof. By leveraging this strength, I knew I could create something special. The very first prototype Gemini produced had a solid layout, and from there, I continued to build. The result is a testament to the power of this approach, though my ambition to write everything in vanilla JS without a framework like React ultimately introduced a host of bugs. I call it my "Notion-inspired" lesson in humility.

Ambition and Its Pitfalls

Despite my best efforts to optimize, the project became a victim of its own complexity. By choosing to write everything in vanilla JavaScript, I essentially had to reinvent the wheel for features that frameworks like React or Svelte provide for free. This led to a brittle codebase where about 90% of my intended features were implemented, but a frustrating 40% of those were plagued with bugs. It's a classic case of biting off more than you can chew, and a valuable lesson in choosing the right tools for the job.

A Symphony of Features

FNote v2 includes every feature from its predecessor and introduces a host of powerful new ones:

• Modern UI: All the basic music player features (play/pause, seek, shuffle, loop) wrapped in a clean interface with slick animations.
• Miniplayer Mode: A sleek, compact miniplayer that expands on hover, providing full functionality without taking up screen space.
• Song Markers: Per-song markers allow you to highlight and jump to the best part of any track.
• Comprehensive Tagging: A powerful tagging system lets you create custom tags and apply them to individual or multiple songs for easy filtering.
• Playlists & Queues: Full playlist and queue management.
• Import/Export: Share and back up your playlists with the custom .fnlist file type—a glorified zip file containing all song data, covers, and a JSON manifest.
• Windows Integration: An optional setting registers the .fnlist file type, allowing you to import playlists simply by double-clicking them.
• YT-DLP Integration: Download songs or entire playlists from the web directly into the app.
• The Prized Feature: My favorite feature from v1, perfected. The app auto-pauses when it detects external audio and resumes when it's gone. You can even manage an ignore list for apps like Lively Wallpaper or FxSound.