2 min read
QuickNotes
A macOS menu bar app for jotting down quick notes.
Platform note: This project requires macOS and Xcode. Windows users: check out the web projects (LinkPreview, Weather, Portfolio, Playground) for cross-platform alternatives.
What You’ll Build
A Mac app that:
- Lives in your menu bar
- Opens a small note-taking window when clicked
- Saves notes automatically
- Launches at startup (optional)
A tool you’ll actually use every day.
Why This Project
Menu bar apps are one of the most practical things you can build on a Mac. This project teaches:
- SwiftUI on macOS
- Menu bar (status bar) apps
- Text editing and storage
- App lifecycle and persistence
Same workflow as ColorDrop. Different kind of utility.
Before You Start
Make sure you have:
- Xcode installed (from the App Store)
- Claude Code running
No iOS device needed — this runs on your Mac.
The Steps
- Starting — Create the Xcode project
- Menu Bar — Set up the menu bar icon
- Note Editor — Add the text editing view
- Persistence — Save notes automatically
- Polish — Refine the experience
Technical Notes
Menu bar apps work differently from regular apps. They don’t have a main window — they have a popover or panel attached to the menu bar icon. Claude handles the SwiftUI setup for this.
If You Get Stuck
See Getting Unstuck for troubleshooting tips.
Let’s Start
cd ~/Desktop
mkdir QuickNotes && cd QuickNotes
claude