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Supercharged Mind Mapping: Talking to Your Ideas with AI Agents and MCP
Supercharged Mind Mapping: Talking to Your Ideas with AI Agents and MCP
Mind Mapping app: https://mindmap.chaotung.com/
As I continued to refine my mind-mapping application, I found myself driven by a single, persistent question: What if you could converse with your entire mind map and instantly transform those ideas into structured documents? I envisioned moving beyond simple bullet points to a world where scattered thoughts could be deepened into meaningful insights with ease.
The key was to create a workflow that felt automatic, intuitive, and seamless. I wanted to eliminate the frustrating back-and-forth of toggling between applications, logging into various services, and the tedious task of copy-pasting.
This ambition for cross-application efficiency led me to develop and integrate a suite of powerful new features: APIs, a chat interface powered by an AI agent, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
The Build: Bringing Conversational AI to Mind Mapping
To bring this vision to life, I focused on three core components:
Mind Map APIs: I developed APIs to support "map-to-text" and "text-to-map" functionalities. This allows external tools to directly interact with the mind map, creating a two-way street for information.
Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers: To bridge the gap between visual thinking and structured writing, I built MCP servers. These servers connect to tools like Dynalist, enabling them to find, create, update, and extract content from folders and documents.
Embedded Chatbot Interface: To save development time and deliver a functional experience quickly, I chose to embed an existing n8n chat interface directly into the mind map. This creates a conversational space where users can interact with an AI agent in real time. The assistant can analyze the entire mind map, summarize its content, convert it into structured documents, or even do the reverse by transforming external documents into organized, visual maps.
The Result: New Features Now Live
Here are some of the key features I’ve been refining in this phase of development:
AI Chat Assistant: This built-in AI acts as your personal thought partner, helping you navigate, summarize, and transform your mind maps in real time. For enhanced security, user and password authentication is required. The AI agent also has additional tools accessible via MCP and HTTP requests. For example, you can ask the AI agent to:
Content Transformation: Turn mind map bullet points into structured written content.
Mind Map Analysis: Instantly generate summaries or deep dives into your maps to grasp big ideas or fine details.
Export to Documents: Seamlessly export your mind maps into tools like Dynalist, with Google Docs integration coming soon.
Import from Documents: Import and transform a Dynalist document into a mind map, with Google Docs support on the horizon.
Dynalist Integration via MCP: The initial integration with Dynalist allows you to:
Find folder and document IDs by name.
Create new folders and documents on the fly.
Insert content directly into an existing document.
Enhanced Mind Map APIs:
Import markdown directly into your current mind map.
Export your mind map to markdown format or as a file.
This phase of the project has been about refining the foundational elements I’ve laid and unlocking more fluid ways to think, organize, and create. It’s not just about building a tool; it's about redefining how I interact with my own thoughts.
How could AI improve your personal thinking and organizational workflows? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Mind Mapping App: My Journey Building Visual Thinking Tool for Brainstorming
Mind Mapping App: My Journey Building Visual Thinking Tool for Brainstorming
Mind Mapping app: https://mindmap.chaotung.com/
The Power of Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is a powerful way to organize thoughts visually—structured yet fluid, like ideas branching out from a central seed. The technique involves creating a diagram where concepts radiate outward from a core idea, revealing relationships, hierarchies, and hidden connections. While it feels modern and intuitive, its origins trace back to around 300 AD, when Porphyry of Tyre first used a similar approach to classify Aristotle’s philosophies. Centuries later, Tony Buzan brought mind mapping into the mainstream as a tool to capture, connect, and clarify complex thinking.
The Power of Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is a powerful way to organize thoughts visually—structured yet fluid, like ideas branching out from a central seed. The technique involves creating a diagram where concepts radiate outward from a core idea, revealing relationships, hierarchies, and hidden connections. While it feels modern and intuitive, its origins trace back to around 300 AD, when Porphyry of Tyre first used a similar approach to classify Aristotle’s philosophies. Centuries later, Tony Buzan brought mind mapping into the mainstream as a tool to capture, connect, and clarify complex thinking.
Why use mind mapping?
Why use mind mapping?
Ideation: It helps capture fleeting thoughts and brainstorm new ideas.
Connection: It facilitates linking new information with existing knowledge.
Clarity: It simplifies complex ideas, making them easier to understand.
Creativity: It boosts creative thinking by visually connecting disparate ideas.
Collaboration: It promotes teamwork by providing a shared visual space.
Problem-Solving: It aids in breaking down problems and exploring solutions.
Who Can Benefit from Mind Mapping?
Whether you're brainstorming, planning, strategizing, or managing projects, mind mapping can be beneficial. I was first introduced to it during my master's program for creative exploration in animation and filmmaking. Since then, I've consistently used mind mapping for technology innovation and product management tasks.
Who Can Benefit from Mind Mapping?
Whether you're brainstorming, planning, strategizing, or managing projects, mind mapping can be beneficial. I was first introduced to it during my master's program for creative exploration in animation and filmmaking. Since then, I've consistently used mind mapping for technology innovation and product management tasks.
The Quest for the Ideal Mind Mapping Tool
The Quest for the Ideal Mind Mapping Tool
Over the years, I've explored numerous mind mapping tools, both commercial and open-source. While many offer powerful features, I often found them either overly complicated or lacking essential functionalities. I believe the following are crucial capabilities for an effective mind mapping tool:
Accessibility: Easy to use and readily available.
Simple Data Format & Import/Export: Data should be easily exportable and importable in a non-proprietary, text-based format (like Markdown). Your knowledge should remain yours, not locked away. Seamlessly import text outlines (like Markdown bullet points) and export the mind map back into a text format.
The Adaptability and Flexibility of Consciousness: Effortlessly connect, disconnect, and rearrange ideas and branches as your thinking evolves; ability to expand complex branches or collapse them to focus on the bigger picture.
Visual Cues: Simple color-coding options to categorize and visually differentiate streams of thought.
Building Solutions
Driven by the desire for a tool that met these criteria, and inspired by the recent advancements in AI, I decided to build my own. With the help of tools like Windsurf, Cursor, and Omnimodal LMM like Gemini 2.5 Pro, I was able to create a functional app I'm genuinely excited about!
Building Solutions
Driven by the desire for a tool that met these criteria, and inspired by the recent advancements in AI, I decided to build my own. With the help of tools like Windsurf, Cursor, and Omnimodal LMM like Gemini 2.5 Pro, I was able to create a functional app I'm genuinely excited about!
Mind Mapping Features
Mind Mapping Features
Work Area/ Main Canvas:
Work Area/ Main Canvas:
Create Nodes: Drag from a node's connector to create child nodes.
Edit Texts: Modify the text content directly within nodes.
Resize Nodes: Adjust node size using the handle.
Color Nodes: Change node color, with children nodes inheriting the parent's color upon change.
Restructure Networks: Reconnect nodes or entire branches to different parents by dragging connection points.
Expand/Collapse Node Networks: Show or hide child branches using the toggle icon.
Menu Panel:
Menu Panel:
Add Node: Creates a new, independent node.
Import MD: Imports indented Markdown bullet lists (`-` or *) to visualize them as a mind map. (Tip: Try exporting the current mind map to MD and take a look at the structure before importing your own Markdown file!)
Export MD: Exports the current mind map structure as a Markdown file. (Note: Color information is not currently exported).
Line Style: Choose between Simple Bezier (default), Smooth Step, Step, or Straight connector lines.
Undo/Redo functionality
Line style Adjustment options
PNG and SVG snapshots
OPML import/export
Known Bugs
Known Bugs
Root Node Connection Bug
Looping Connection Crash – Connecting a parent node to one of its own descendants will trigger a crash.
Future/ Upcoming Plans
Future/ Upcoming Plans
Fix the Root Node bug.
Add an option to toggle node UI controls for a cleaner look.
Stabilize child node positions when reconnected to a different parent.
Try It Out & Share Your Thoughts!
Please give it a try! I hope you find it useful: https://mindmap.chaotung.com/
I've found mind mapping invaluable over the years, and I'm thrilled to have developed a tool that fits my workflow. It's straightforward, requires no signup, and focuses on the core task of mapping ideas.
I'd love to hear your feedback, suggestions, and thoughts on how it could be improved. Let me know what you think in the comments!
Try It Out & Share Your Thoughts!
Please give it a try! I hope you find it useful: https://mindmap.chaotung.com/
I've found mind mapping invaluable over the years, and I'm thrilled to have developed a tool that fits my workflow. It's straightforward, requires no signup, and focuses on the core task of mapping ideas.
I'd love to hear your feedback, suggestions, and thoughts on how it could be improved. Let me know what you think in the comments!
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