Brief Overview

This is composed using (the old version 4 of) Brain Annex – visible to you in read-only mode because you're not logged into this account.

Brain Annex is open-source.

The "classic" version 4 was specifically web app for Knowledge and Media Management.

By contrast, the new version 5 is a much more general full stack based on a graph database.

Brief video on the overhauled new version 5

3-min intro overview (of old version)

10-min basic usage  (of old version)

A COMPLETELY-OVERHAULED Brain Annex

Version 5.0 (currently in late-stage Beta, on the verge of "Release Candidate" stage) is a radical, total change of Brain Annex' internals!  The user interface will remain relatively similar, but major new features are also being introduced. 

NOTE : the included web app is now JUST ONE USE CASE of a much more general technology stack usable for a wide variety of purposes!

GitHub repository

A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY STACK    (diagram)

1. Ported from PHP (with the pForce framework) to Python (with Flask)
    
2. Replaced the MySQL database, the built-in Directed Graph module, and the built-in triplestore with a Neo4j graph database (community version 4.3)
    
3. Eliminated legacy portions in vanilla JavaScript in favor of full site-wide use of Vue.js
    
4. Replaced legacy (sometimes synchronous) XMLHttpRequest server communication with the asynchronous fetch API

KEY TECHNOLOGY ELEMENTS

1. "NeoAccess", a library to interface with the Neo4j database, based on the earlier neo4j-liaison (a role akin to the "dbasePDO" MySQL interface of the old version)
    
2. "NeoSchema", a library to implement a Schema Layer on top of the Neo4j database  (the Schema Layer, in conjunction with support from the core module, takes over a substantial part of the functionality that previously was the responsability of individual plugins.)
    
3. (Upcoming) use of the Cytoscape.js library for interactive displays in "balls and lines" mode.

MAJOR DESIGN CHANGES  (in the context of a relatively-similar UI)

1. Management of datasets is now far more elaborate, and with much-better support for arbitrary complex datasets
    
2. Support of advanced data querying capabilities, based on Neo4j Cypher queries
    
3. The plugins are now much thinner.  A far-bigger role is being taken on by the core module.  Some of the customization formerly created by the plugins is now specified in a Neo4j Schema
    
4. Many UI operations that previously involved page reloads are now handled without reloading
    
5. General de-cluttering of the proliferating number of controls for the Content Items on the pages
    
6. The body of Content Items of type "notes" (formatted text) is now stored as HTML files rather than inside the database
    
7. A feature to export/import the full Neo4j database, or just the Schema, is now available from a control panel
    
8. Fuller support to run the web app locally, connected to either a remote or a local Neo4j database
    
9. A new plugin, "Code Documentation", to facilitate documenting a software library
    
10. Export to static web pages
     
11. Export to MD files (the format commonly used  by README files)
     
12. Instead of being strictly a standalone web app, Brain Annex is now easily integrated with other Flask-based sites
     
13. The included web app is now JUST ONE USE CASE of a much more general technology stack usable for a wide variety of purposes!