Sidebar
The sidebar is Zenboard’s primary interface for quickly browsing and managing your references. It operates in two modes — Dock mode and Floating mode — and you can freely switch between them as needed.
Dock Mode
In this mode, the sidebar stays anchored to the edge of your screen and appears only when you need it. A thin handle is visible by default, and the sidebar smoothly slides out when you hover over it.
4-Direction Anchor
You can dock the sidebar to any of the four edges of your screen — left, right, top, or bottom. Choose the optimal position so your references never overlap your work.
| Shortcut | Position | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
Cmd + 1 | Top | Great for MacBooks with a notch, or when bottom toolbars matter |
Cmd + 2 | Left | Works well with apps that have tool panels on the right (Figma, Photoshop, etc.) |
Cmd + 3 | Right | Ideal for code editors with file trees on the left (VS Code, Xcode, etc.) |
Cmd + 4 | Bottom | Useful for video editing apps with menus/timelines at the top |
With a single shortcut you can instantly relocate the sidebar, so whenever you switch apps you can adjust the sidebar position to maximize your screen real estate.
Auto Collapse/Expand
In Dock mode, the sidebar automatically collapses and expands on mouse hover or click. Press Cmd + B to toggle the auto collapse/expand behavior.
Automatic Layout Switching
- Left/Right anchor: Vertical scrolling layout
- Top/Bottom anchor: Horizontal scrolling layout
The card arrangement and scroll direction automatically adjust based on the anchor position.
Floating Mode
A freely positionable mode that lets you place the sidebar anywhere on screen.
- Drag to move — Freely reposition wherever you like
- Resize — Use the resize handle to adjust width and height
- Multi-display — Move between monitors
Press Cmd + D to toggle between Dock mode and Floating mode.
Grid Layout
Cards are automatically distributed into multiple columns or multiple rows based on the sidebar size. Widen the sidebar to add more columns; narrow it to reduce them.
Card Management
Basic actions for managing cards in the sidebar:
- Click a card — Open in Smart Viewer
- Drag cards — Reorder by dragging
- Right-click — Context menu (Copy / Save / Delete)
State Persistence
The sidebar’s mode, size, anchor position, and collapse state are automatically saved and restored on next launch.