From classroom clutter to a central hub — how I designed NoteKit to organize and share notes with simplicity and elegance.
🚀 Why I Built NoteKit
As a student, I was constantly sending notes to friends — scattered across chats, email, or PDFs. I needed a better system. So I built NoteKit — a simple, private Android app to share and access notes effortlessly. No more scroll-hunting or lost files.
🛠️ Tech Stack and Architecture
- Language: Java
- UI: XML layouts inspired by Apple
- Backend: Airtable API
- Deployment: Android Studio (native build)
- PDF Viewing: WebView
Airtable gave me spreadsheet simplicity with RESTful power. I used it for everything — storing notes, static legal pages, user accounts, and feedback.
📐 Apple-Inspired UI
Inspired by Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines (HIG), I kept the UI clean and modern:
- iOS-style back arrow & blue buttons
- Bottom navigation bar
- Consistent font (Inter) and shadows
- Minimal distraction, maximum readability
📷 Screenshots
🔐 Privacy & Controls
Users can register, log in, submit feedback, and even request account deletion — all via Airtable integration. PDF viewers block screenshots, and login state is managed with SharedPreferences.
📦 What’s in v1
- ✅ Clean onboarding screen
- ✅ Browse notes grid
- ✅ QuickCast search by code
- ✅ PDF viewing
- ✅ User login & feedback
- ✅ Static pages (About, Privacy, Terms) powered by Airtable
🚧 What’s Next?
Once I find the time, I plan to:
- Let users upload their own notes (camera to PDF)
- Enable ViewProfileActivity and note authorship
- Build a lightweight Community tab like Threads
- Add @mentions and clickable usernames
- Eventually, switch to a more scalable backend
💭 Final Thoughts
NoteKit wasn’t built to be a product. It was built to solve a real, personal problem. With Java, Airtable, and clean UI inspiration from Apple, I created something fast, focused, and fulfilling.
"Minimal tools, maximum intent — that’s what NoteKit stands for."
Want to chat about it? DM me on socials or email; happy to share insights.
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