Flat Files go a lot further now

January 10, 2025 at 03:22 PM

Note: This is not a blog, it's a semi-private digital garden with mostly first drafts that are often co-written with an LLM. Unless I shared this link with you directly, you might be missing important context or reading an outdated perspective.

In an era where structured databases and complex data schemas dominate, flat files are poised for an unexpected renaissance, powered by advances in AI and large context windows. This shift isn’t just about storage—it’s about preserving creativity and natural thought processes.

The Problem with Premature Structure

We’ve all been there: creating elaborate database schemas, setting up relationships, and defining strict data structures before we fully understand what we’re building. While structure is eventually necessary, imposing it too early can be surprisingly counterproductive. It’s like forcing a painter to color within the lines before they’ve sketched their vision.

Why Flat Files Make Sense Now

Several factors are converging to make flat files more powerful than ever:

  1. AI Context Windows: Modern AI models can process and understand massive amounts of unstructured text, making it possible to extract structure on-demand rather than requiring it upfront.

  2. Natural Expression: Flat files allow users to express thoughts in their most natural form—whether through voice transcription, stream of consciousness writing, or quick notes.

  3. Reduced Information Loss: When we force information into structured formats too early, we often lose nuance and context. Flat files preserve the original intention and thought process.

The Modern Flat File Workflow

The beauty of modern flat file systems lies in their flexibility:

  1. Capture: Users can input information in whatever format feels most natural
  2. Store: Keep the raw, unstructured content in its original form
  3. Transform: Use AI to extract structure, metadata, and relationships as needed
  4. Search & Remix: Leverage large context windows to find patterns and connections across your entire knowledge base

The Best of Both Worlds

This approach doesn’t mean abandoning structure entirely. Instead, it suggests a more natural progression: start with raw, unstructured content, and let structure emerge through AI-powered analysis and transformation. This preserves the original context while still enabling all the benefits of structured data when needed.

Raw

I want to make a note that I think flat file storage is going to make a big comeback in the age of AI, especially with large context windows. Giving your data too much structure, too early is actually a bit of a curse because it forces you to think in a particular paradigm versus express your creativity in whatever way you need to at first. And that's usually the best instantiation of the content unless there's templates that ask you good questions that you should be answering about whatever it is you're thinking. However, it does a much better job between voice AI and keeping everything in a flat file to store the original intention of the user. And then of course you can cross question them and like have their content get edited down into a content. But the real power of showing things in the original content is just the ability to search and remix, especially with the availability of large context windows now.