What is it?
What it is
Writer is a fast and lightweight markdown editor designed for developers’ workspaces, built as a Tauri desktop application with a React frontend.
Why it exists
It was created to give developers a lightweight, cross‑platform editor that respects workspace `.gitignore` rules, supports multiple windows, renders advanced markdown (tables, Mermaid diagrams), and provides a signed macOS release workflow.
Who should use it
Developers and technical writers seeking a lightweight, workspace-aware markdown editor with support for tables, Mermaid diagrams, and gitignore integration.
Who should avoid it
Users who need a heavyweight WYSIWYG editor, real-time collaboration features, or prefer not to install desktop applications.
How it works
A quick walkthrough in plain English
How writer-computer works
Step 1 of 3
You interact with it
Open writer-computer, send a request, or connect it to your stack.
Features
Advantages
- High performance and low resource usage due to Rust backend
- Seamless integration with Git workflows via .gitignore support
- Rich markdown rendering with diagrams and tables
- Multiple window support for multitasking
- Secure macOS releases with signing and notarization
- Developer friendly tooling (vp CLI, Vite+, Rust tooling)
- Extensible state management with Zustand
- Clear separation of frontend and backend code
- Active documentation and design specs
- Community contributions encouraged by open source
Disadvantages
- GPL‑3.0 license may limit commercial use
- Limited to markdown files only, no other file types supported
- No native mobile or web app version
- Requires Rust toolchain for backend development
- Potential learning curve for Tauri and Rust integration
- No built‑in plugin ecosystem for extending functionality
- Documentation may not cover all edge cases
- Updates rely on manual release scripts for macOS
Installation
FAQ
How do I install and run Writer locally?
Run the provided commands: first install dependencies with `vp install`, then start the development server using `vp dev`. This will launch the Tauri desktop app with the React frontend.
What technologies make up Writer?
Writer is built with Tauri v2 for the desktop shell, React for the UI, Zustand for state management, CodeMirror for the editor, and Rust for backend commands and workspace handling.
How does Writer respect a workspace’s .gitignore rules?
The Rust backend in `apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/` watches the workspace and filters files according to the `.gitignore` patterns, ensuring only relevant markdown files are displayed and managed.
How can I run the project’s validation and tests?
Use the `vp` CLI: `vp check` for linting and `vp test` for running tests. For Rust-specific checks, navigate to `apps/desktop/src-tauri` and run `cargo test`, `cargo clippy`, and `cargo fmt --check`.
What steps are required to create a signed macOS release?
Use the local script `scripts/distribute.sh` to build the macOS package. Refer to `docs/releasing.md` for the full workflow, which covers signing, notarization, and updater publishing.
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