Why we are focusing on integrations

We recently launched the Capacities API in beta and introduced community integrations. Here’s what this means and some quick comments on our decision-making.

Integrations are connections to other apps and services so you can interact with Capacities from outside of the app. Our Raycast integration, for example, allows you to search and open content from everywhere on your Mac. Our WhatsApp integration allows you to quickly capture some ideas while on the go.

Integrations are not plugins. Plugins change the app itself. They, for example, add an extra button to the app or change its appearance. There are good arguments for allowing plugins, but we explicitly decided not to support them as we think that this offers too many degrees of freedom, introduces issues and unwanted behavior, and, in the end, stops us from getting work done.

But, we added integrations. Integrations connect your workflows and allow access to Capacities whenever you need it and wherever you need it. They remove friction, streamline workflows, and automate tedious tasks.

We’re just at the beginning of our journey with integrations, and we’ll add many more over time. Think of Capacities being connected to your calendar, your readings and highlights, and much more! The Capacities API is an invitation to the developer community to connect Capacities to all the apps and systems we use every day. We’re excited about your ideas!

If you want to know more, you can read about our contribution guidelines here.