For Org mode users who want access to their files beyond the desktop, organice provides a solution. It's a feature-rich implementation of Org mode designed for modern web browsers on both mobile and desktop, offering a way to view and edit your .org files without needing Emacs. organice synchronizes your files with popular back-ends like Dropbox, GitLab, and WebDAV, ensuring you can access your notes and tasks wherever you are. At 200ok, we host a public instance at https://organice.200ok.ch which anyone can use – importantly, it's a front-end only application, meaning we don't store your data or use analytics.
We've just released organice version 1.2. This update focuses on improving the underlying technology to ensure organice runs reliably and that you receive future updates smoothly.
However, first, a quick but important heads-up:
Action May Be Needed (One Time Only!)
Some users previously encountered an issue where organice, particularly when installed as a PWA (Progressive Web App, like an icon on your phone's home screen), wouldn't automatically update to the latest version. This was due to a stubborn caching problem introduced in an earlier upgrade.
The good news: organice v1.2 fixes this!
To ensure you get this fix and all future updates correctly, you might need to perform a simple, one-time action to clear the old cache:
- If you use organice as a PWA / Home Screen App (especially on iOS):* The most reliable way is to /delete the existing organice icon from your home screen and then re-install it by visiting the organice website in your browser and using the "Add to Home Screen" option.
- If you use organice in a regular browser tab:* A /hard refresh should do the trick. (This is typically done with
Ctrl+Shift+Ron Windows/Linux orCmd+Shift+Ron macOS).
Once you've done this, you should be running v1.2, and future updates should arrive seamlessly without needing these extra steps.
What Changed "Under the Hood"?
This release involved a significant internal improvement. We migrated organice's build system from Create React App (CRA), which has reached its end-of-life, to a modern and efficient tool called Parcel.
This migration provides several benefits:
- Fixes the Update Bug: As mentioned, this was the primary driver – ensuring reliable delivery of new versions.
- Modern Foundation: Keeps organice maintainable and aligned with current web development practices.
- Efficiency Gains: Simplifies parts of our development and build process.
While this was mainly an internal change, the result is a more robust foundation for organice moving forward.
Where to Find More Details
For those interested in the technical specifics of the migration and other refinements included in this release, you can find the full details in the GitHub Release Notes for v1.2 and the associated [Architecture Decision Record ADR-004.
Thanks for using organice! We're excited to have resolved the update issue and look forward to bringing you more features and improvements on this more stable foundation.
If you liked this post, please consider supporting our Free and Open Source software work – you can sponsor us on Github and Patreon or star our FLOSS repositories.
