New Integration: Apple Notes

Description

Add Apple Notes integration to sync notes, folders, attachments, and note-taking activity into CORE.

Reference Implementations

Existing Integrations (use as templates)

• integrations/notion/ - Similar note-taking/document system
• integrations/google-docs/ - Document management integration
• integrations/slack/ - For reference

Required Files Structure

integrations/apple-notes/
├── src/
│   ├── index.ts          # Main entry, auth spec
│   ├── schedule.ts       # Sync logic
│   ├── utils.ts          # Apple Notes access utilities
│   ├── account-create.ts # Auth setup
│   └── create-activity.ts # Activity formatting
├── package.json
├── tsup.config.ts
└── README.md

Apple Notes API Integration

Authentication Setup

• Important: Apple Notes does not have an official public REST API
• Access methods vary by platform:
  • macOS: JXA (JavaScript for Automation) / AppleScript via osascript
  • iOS/macOS: SiriKit Intents (INCreateNoteIntent, INSearchForNotebookItemsIntent)
  • iCloud: CloudKit private database access (requires Apple Developer account)
  • Local Database: Direct SQLite database access (~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/)

Available Access Methods

• SiriKit Lists & Notes Domain
  • INCreateNoteIntent - Create new notes
  • INSearchForNotebookItemsIntent - Search for notes
  • INAddTasksToNotebookIntent - Add checklist items
• JXA/AppleScript (macOS only)
  • Application('Notes') - Access Notes.app
  • .notes() - List all notes
  • .notes.byName() - Find note by name
  • .folders() - List folders
  • .make({new: 'note', ...}) - Create a note
• CloudKit (iCloud)
  • Access notes stored in iCloud via CloudKit JS or native CloudKit framework
  • Requires Apple Developer Program membership
• Web Share API
  • Share content to Notes from web applications via the native Share interface

Events to Track

1. Note Activity - Notes created, modified, deleted
2. Folder Management - Folders created, notes moved between folders
3. Attachments - Images, files, or drawings added to notes
4. Checklist Activity - Checklist items added, completed, or unchecked
5. Sharing - Notes shared or collaboration started

Implementation Tasks

• Set up basic integration structure following integrations/github/src/index.ts pattern
• Research and implement the most viable authentication/access method in account-create.ts
• Create API utilities in utils.ts (likely using JXA/AppleScript or CloudKit)
• Implement sync logic in schedule.ts for notes and folders
• Convert note events to CORE activity format
• Add error handling and platform-specific fallbacks
• Create integration documentation
• Add to integrations/README.md

Technical Notes

• No official REST API exists - This is the biggest challenge for this integration
• On macOS, the most reliable method is JXA (JavaScript for Automation) which can access Notes.app programmatically
• The local SQLite database is at ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/NoteStore.sqlite but direct access is fragile and may break with OS updates
• SiriKit intents are limited to iOS/iPadOS apps and Shortcuts
• Community projects like mcp-apple-notes (GitHub: RafalWilinski/mcp-apple-notes) demonstrate RAG over Apple Notes using MCP
• The Apple Notes Liberator project extracts Notes.app data and saves as JSON
• Consider a hybrid approach: JXA for macOS + CloudKit for cross-platform sync

Resources

• Apple SiriKit Lists & Notes Documentation
• Apple Developer Forums - Notes API Discussion
• mcp-apple-notes (MCP Server)
• Apple Notes Liberator

Labels

enhancement, integration, new-feature