> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.thinknoesis.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Noesis Quickstart: Branch, Map, and Synthesize Ideas

> Learn how to create your Noesis account, start your first branching conversation, explore the concept map, and synthesize findings in minutes.

By the end of this guide, you'll have a Noesis account, a live branching conversation, and your first concept map — all without touching a credit card. These six steps take less than five minutes and give you a hands-on feel for the core Noesis workflow.

<Tip>
  Start with a research question you're genuinely curious about — Noesis shines when you're exploring a topic with multiple angles.
</Tip>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign up for a free account">
    Navigate to [thinknoesis.xyz/app](https://thinknoesis.xyz/app) and create your account using your email address or a social login provider. Noesis starts you on the **Origin plan**, which is completely free — no credit card required, no trial timer ticking down. You get full access to branching, concept mapping, and standard AI models from the moment your account is created.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create your first conversation">
    Once you're inside the app, click **New Thread** in the sidebar. A fresh conversation panel opens. Type your first message in the input field at the bottom — this becomes the root node of your Thread.

    Before you send, take a moment to choose your model using the model selector next to the input field. A few good starting points:

    * **Gemini 3.5 Flash** — fast and cost-effective for quick queries and brainstorming.
    * **Claude Haiku 4.5** — snappy responses with strong instruction-following.
    * **Claude Opus 4.8** — best for deep research, nuanced writing, and complex reasoning (Synthesis and Noesis plans).
    * **GPT 5.5** — strong general-purpose performance across a wide range of tasks (Synthesis and Noesis plans).

    Hit **Send** and watch your first Node appear on the canvas.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Branch the conversation">
    Hover over any message in the conversation — yours or the AI's. A small toolbar appears alongside the message. Click the **Branch** icon (it looks like a forking path). A new input field opens, anchored to that message.

    Type a follow-up that takes the conversation in a completely different direction — a new hypothesis, an alternative framing, or a "what if?" question you'd normally be afraid to ask because it might derail your main thread. Because it's a Branch, your original path is completely untouched.

    You can repeat this as many times as you like. Every Branch is its own explorable path, all connected back to the message it forked from.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Explore the Concept Map">
    Click the **Map** icon in the top toolbar to switch to the Concept Map view. You'll see all of your messages and Branch points rendered as a 2D node graph — the workspace auto-layouts everything so the structure of your thinking is immediately visible.

    Pan the canvas by clicking and dragging. Zoom with your scroll wheel or trackpad. When you spot a Node you want to revisit, **double-click it** to jump directly back to that message in the conversation view. The map and the chat are always in sync.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Synthesize your branches">
    Once you have two or more Branches worth of responses, you can combine their insights. In the Concept Map view, **select two or more Nodes** by holding Shift and clicking each one. A contextual toolbar appears — click **Synthesize**.

    Noesis merges the selected content and generates a unified summary that draws from all the selected paths. The synthesis appears as a new Node connected to its source Nodes on the map, so you never lose the lineage of where the insight came from.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export your work">
    When you're ready to share or archive your research, open the **Export** menu from the toolbar. Select **Markdown** to export the full conversation — including all Branches and any synthesis — as a clean `.md` file you can drop into any editor, note-taking app, or repository. The file downloads immediately to your device.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  The free **Origin plan** gives you access to standard models (Gemini 3.5 Flash, Claude Haiku 4.5, GPT 5.4 Mini, and Grok 4.3), unlimited conversation branching and merging, document uploads, and interactive concept mapping. If you need premium models like Claude Opus 4.8 or GPT 5.5, real-time collaboration, or higher usage limits, you can upgrade to the **Synthesis** or **Noesis** plans at any time. See the [Plans & Pricing](/plans) page for a full comparison.
</Note>

## Keep Exploring

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Core Features: Branching" icon="code-branch" href="/features/branching">
    Go deeper on forking conversations, merging threads, and navigating complex Branch structures.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Collaboration: Spaces" icon="users" href="/collaboration/spaces">
    Learn how to invite teammates, co-edit Branches live, and build shared knowledge in a Space.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>