Are.na

Are.na is a platform for creative researchers, designers, artists, and knowledge collectors to save, organize, and connect ideas using blocks and channels.

🚀 Overview

Are.na is an ad-free online platform launched in 2014 that functions as a creative research tool and social network, allowing users to collect and organize web content into "blocks" (links, images, text, PDFs, videos, files) and group them into "channels" for sharing and collaboration. It's often described as "playlists for ideas" or an "internet memory palace," serving as an alternative to Pinterest or social media with likes and shares, emphasizing conscious browsing and knowledge building.

What problem does this project solve? It addresses the chaos of scattered online inspiration and research by providing a structured way to save, connect, and remix content without ads or manipulative algorithms. Who is it built for? Creative professionals like designers, artists, architects, students, academics, and hobbyists who need to organize references and collaborate on ideas. Why did you build it? Founders Charles Broskoski, Daniel Pianetti, Chris Barley, and Chris Sherron created it to revive hypertext ideals like Ted Nelson's Xanadu, fostering a healthier internet space for idea connection since early prototypes in the 2010s.

Keep it human and honest.

✨ Key Features

Blocks and Channels: Save any content as blocks and organize into public, private, or collaborative channels for research and moodboards (core to building interconnected knowledge networks).
Collaboration: Invite others to channels for shared editing and thinking together.
Tools for Capture and Export: Browser extensions, iOS/Android apps for quick saving; export channels as PDF, ZIP, or HTML; presentation mode, table view, advanced search, full-text extraction.
Optional: Premium features like unlimited blocks (vs 200 free), hide from search, priority support, API access; upcoming API v3, app improvements.