Mini Diarium documentation

Exporting Data

Export your journal as JSON or Markdown. JSON preserves entry IDs, tags, and font metadata; Markdown is human-readable. Exported files are not encrypted.

Opening the Export Dialog

Open the export dialog from Journal → Export... in the app menu.

Built-In Export Formats

JSON Export

The JSON format is the primary structural export. It outputs a metadata block and an array of entries under the "entries" key:

{
          "metadata": {
            "application": "Mini Diarium",
            "version": "0.5.0",
            "exportedAt": "2024-01-15T12:00:00Z"
          },
          "entries": [
            {
              "id": 1,
              "date": "2024-01-15",
              "title": "My Entry",
              "text": "<p>Entry content as HTML...</p>",
              "dateUpdated": "2024-01-15T10:05:00Z",
              "tags": ["travel", "work"],
              "metadata": {
                "fontFamily": "Noto Serif",
                "fontSize": 16.0
              }
            }
          ]
        }

Every entry includes a "tags" array (empty [] if the entry has no tags; tags are listed in alphabetical order). Entries with font metadata include a "metadata" object containing fontFamily and fontSize; entries without entry-level font defaults have no metadata field.

This format preserves entry IDs, timestamps, tags, and font metadata. It can be re-imported back into Mini Diarium — the JSON importer automatically handles both the old Mini Diary date-keyed format and the new array format with optional metadata for backward compatibility. If the JSON contains embedded data:image/... content, Mini Diarium normalizes those images into its encrypted image store during import while preserving the visible content of the entry.

Markdown Export

The Markdown export produces a human-readable text file, grouped by date. If a day has multiple entries, each appears under its own sub-heading.

If an entry has tags, a *Tags: …* line is written immediately after the title (or date heading when there is no title) and before the entry body:

## 2024-01-15
        **My Entry**
        *Tags: travel, work*
        
        Entry content here...

Entries with no tags have no tags line. Tags appear in alphabetical order.

Markdown is a best-effort, text-focused conversion of the stored HTML editor content. Inline font formatting is not preserved in Markdown — all text exports using the default Markdown rendering. Complex formatting (tables, images) may not convert perfectly, but the text is always readable. For full-fidelity export including font metadata, use JSON instead.

Why Export?

  • Backup: Export a copy of your entries for safekeeping before changing devices or reinstalling.
  • Migration: Move your writing to another app or format.
  • Archiving: Create a readable offline archive of your journal.
  • Processing: Use JSON for programmatic processing of your entries.

Note that exported files are not encrypted. Store them securely if they contain sensitive content.

Custom Export Formats via Plugins

If you need a specific export format not covered by the built-in options, you can write a custom Rhai export plugin. See the Plugins section for details.