I recently got the chance to ask Filippo Miatto, creator of QuickLog, some questions about his app. QuickLog is a Mac utility that offers a speedy way to jot down thoughts, without interrupting other things you’re doing and taking you off-topic. Check it out!

Micah Blachman: What was your inspiration for QuickLog?

Filippo Miatto: I've wanted to journal consistently for a long time. Journaling helps us keep memories that would otherwise just disappear, and weeks and months of past years would blur together, making it feel as if we have not even lived them. Despite really wanting to keep a journal, I tried and failed many times (probably also due to my ADHD). I went through at least half a dozen apps, but each time the initial excitement turned into dread from having to pause what I was doing, switch to a different app, create a new entry, type, save, and then return to my original task, often having lost track. After a couple of weeks, the journaling would stop.

I realized my problem was that the habit required too many steps to build and I didn't want to get too distracted. I needed something that would lower the bar for journaling to the minimum. So in 2011 I created a personal app (in Objective-C!) which was the precursor of QuickLog. It worked similarly to the new version: hotkey, type, and hit Enter. It was very simple and unpolished, but since I was the only user, it was just fine. Then earlier this year I realized that if it’s good enough to make me journal for 15 years straight (I’m at 10k+ entries), others would probably find it useful too. So I decided to port it to Swift, polish it and publish it in the Mac App Store.

MB: What was your process?

FM: Luckily I already had a working prototype, though it was in a different language. I had learned Swift about a decade ago, but never really used it, so I needed a refresher. After watching a few YouTube tutorials, I got the new version running over a couple of months of evening work, adding a settings window and a log viewer with search that the original version lacked. I used Gemini's assistance to spot a few bugs, but overall, it was already in good shape.

MB: What were some challenges you faced?

FM: Funnily, the hardest part wasn't the code: it was the App Store submission process. Creating the developer account, signing all the agreements, setting up a registered business account, and linking my bank account took some time. Submitting the app itself then took several weeks because it repeatedly failed to comply with all requirements, and each review cycle took several days. But after a dozen rejections, I finally made it! I might need a long break before writing my next app, but seeing QuickLog on the store makes it all worth it.

MB: What do you think people get most wrong with journaling?

FM: I think journaling is a very personal experience. I journal to preserve my life's memories and others may do it for different reasons, so there isn't really anything to get "wrong" about journaling itself. Regarding journaling apps, I find they try to do too much and require too many steps for something so simple. I think QuickLog is unique in that regard. It's a very simple app, but that simplicity is intentional. It does one thing only, and it does it well. It's there when you need it and stays out of the way as soon as you're done. I also hate subscriptions and free versions that are too limited. So QuickLog is a one-time purchase, and the free version keeps the 200 most current entries, which is enough for users who only need to log recent events.

I find apps like QuickLog interesting, because they don’t try to do everything. Instead, they focus on the one thing that they’re good at—and dramatically improve your workflow. I’m also big on apps that don’t try to take over what you’re doing. Some apps don’t know how to stay in their lane. QuickLog acknowledges its purpose, and doesn’t try to steal your attention from the other tasks at hand. I’m rooting for its success!