Your Archive on Disk

A folder of files you can read, back up, script and keep.

The files-first model

The archive folder is the source of truth. The search index is a cache; delete it and Ewig rebuilds it from the files.

Longevity: HTML, Markdown and images outlive any app.
Transparency: open the folder in Finder.
Interoperability: snapshots open in any browser; metadata is plain text Obsidian can read.

Folder structure

The hierarchy mirrors your collections. Show in Finder ⌘⇧R reveals any bookmark.

Ewig Archive/
├── Tech/
│   ├── .folder.json                    ← collection id + sort order
│   └── 2026-06-12 Swift Concurrency Guide ∙ 5e6f7a8b/
│       ├── Swift Concurrency Guide.md  ← metadata (plain text)
│       ├── cover.heic                  ← always saved
│       ├── snapshot.html               ← HTML, if chosen
│       ├── snapshot.pdf                ← PDF, if chosen
│       ├── screenshot.heic             ← Image, if chosen
│       ├── capture.json                ← how it was captured and judged
│       └── versions/                   ← dated "New Archive" copies
├── Read/
└── Unsorted/

Bookmark folders are named once: date, title, short id. Renaming edits the Markdown file, so other devices see an edit, not a delete and a re-add.

The metadata format

A Markdown file with a frontmatter block: URL, title, dates, status, note, which artifacts to keep. New versions only add keys, so older builds and third-party tools keep working. capture.json records what each capture produced, on which device, and how it was judged.

iCloud vs local

Mode	Where files live	Sync
iCloud Drive	Your iCloud Drive, in Files and Finder	All devices, through your Apple account
Local folder	A folder on your Mac, or On My iPhone › Ewig in Files	None

Switch in Settings on any device. The archive is copied over; if the destination already holds a library, Ewig offers to merge.

Backing up

Plain files, so any tool works: Time Machine, rsync, a cloud backup, an external drive.