TorchDocs

TorchDocs

A focused knowledge base SaaS for internal teams, with fast search and clean, opinionated documentation workflows.

Next.js PostgreSQL Tailwind CSS

TorchDocs is a SaaS-style internal knowledge base designed for small teams who are tired of scattered docs, cluttered wikis, and “that one PDF on the shared drive.”

It focuses on clear SOPs, fast search, and a clean writing experience instead of trying to be an everything-app.

Overview

Most teams end up with documentation spread across email, PDFs, chat threads, and random files. TorchDocs is my attempt to build a simple, opinionated knowledge base where:

  • Every piece of knowledge lives in a space (team, department, or client)
  • Content is structured as playbooks, SOPs, and guides instead of loose notes
  • Search actually helps you find what to do next, not just where a keyword appears

This is the kind of tool I wish I had as an IT / UI designer working on internal systems every day.

Goals

TorchDocs is built around a few core ideas:

  • Make it easy to start: Creating a new space and writing your first doc should take minutes, not a full onboarding.
  • Prefer structure over chaos: SOPs, checklists, and “how-to” flows are first-class, not an afterthought.
  • Be fast and boring: Simple UI, predictable navigation, no cluttered sidebars or “social” features.
  • Stay team-first: Designed for small teams (IT, ops, support, internal tools) instead of massive enterprises.

Key Features

  • Spaces & Collections
    Organize content by team, client, or project. Each space has its own collections (Onboarding, SOPs, Runbooks, etc.).

  • Opinionated Doc Types
    Instead of one generic “page,” TorchDocs supports patterns like:

    • Step-by-step SOPs
    • Checklists
    • Runbooks / incident guides

  • Fast, Global Search
    Search across all spaces by title, tags, and content. Results are grouped by relevance and space to reduce noise.

  • Simple, Focused Editing
    A distraction-free editor with headings, callouts, code blocks, and checklists—optimized for writing procedures.

  • Versioning & Drafts (WIP)
    Basic version history and draft mode so changes can be reviewed before going live.

  • Access Control (Planned)
    Per-space roles, so you can keep some spaces open to the whole company and others restricted to specific teams.

Technologies Used

TorchDocs is built as a modern web app with a focus on performance and developer ergonomics:

  • Next.js – App router, server components, and API routes for the core app.
  • PostgreSQL – Relational database for spaces, collections, docs, and permissions.
  • Tailwind CSS – Utility-first styling for fast iteration and a consistent design system.
  • TypeScript – End-to-end type safety across the stack.

(The portfolio entry lists a simplified tech stack; under the hood there’s room to expand this with auth, background jobs, etc.)

My Role

This is a solo project, so I’m responsible for:

  • Product definition – Deciding what TorchDocs should and shouldn’t do.
  • UI/UX design – Wireframing the layout, flows, and component system.
  • Frontend development – Building the Next.js app, routes, and views.
  • Data modeling – Designing how spaces, collections, documents, and users relate.
  • Branding & copy – Naming, positioning, and interface copy.

Current Status & Next Steps

Right now TorchDocs is in an early prototype phase:

  • ✅ Core layout, navigation, and spaces
  • ✅ Basic doc creation and editing
  • ✅ Tagging and search foundation
  • 🚧 Version history and review flow
  • 🚧 Multi-tenant setup and billing

Next, I want to:

  • Add a simple “share with team” onboarding flow
  • Polish search results with better ranking and filters
  • Explore a lightweight “runbook mode” for incident response

TorchDocs is both a portfolio project and a foundation I can grow into a small, focused SaaS for teams that care about clean internal documentation.

Images

TorchDocs screenshots 1