---
slug: "vmark"
source_type: "readme"
source_url: "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/xiaolai/vmark@main/README.md"
repo: "https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark"
source_file: "README.md"
branch: "main"
---
# VMark

**The Plain-Text Workspace Where Humans and AI Collaborate**

Free. Local-first. Format-aware.

<p align="center">
  <img src="website/public/screenshots/ai-workflow.png" alt="VMark AI Integration - Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and VMark" width="800">
</p>

VMark is the plain-text workspace where humans and AI collaborate. Both parties read and write the same artifacts — markdown, YAML, JSON, TOML, Mermaid, SVG, HTML, code — directly, with no translation layer. When the file is a known artifact (GitHub Actions workflow, `Cargo.toml`, `package.json`, `pyproject.toml`), VMark renders the *right* view, not a generic JSON tree.

**[Download](https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark/releases)** · **[Documentation](https://vmark.app/guide/)** · **[Formats](https://vmark.app/guide/formats)** · **[Features](https://vmark.app/guide/features)**

---

## Highlights

- **Multi-Format** — Markdown (WYSIWYG + source), JSON / JSONL, YAML, TOML, Mermaid, SVG, HTML (sandboxed), plain text. Code files (.ts, .py, .rs, .go, .css, …) open as syntax-highlighted viewers; toggle to edit in place or open in your `$EDITOR`.
- **Schema-Aware Previews** — `.github/workflows/ci.yml` opens with a workflow-graph view. `Cargo.toml` and `package.json` and `pyproject.toml` open with a dependency-tree view. Generic JSON / YAML / TOML get a navigable tree.
- **AI-Native** — MCP integration for Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI. AI Genies for inline writing assistance. Both you and the AI work on the same plain-text files.
- **Three Markdown Modes** — WYSIWYG (Tiptap/ProseMirror), Source Peek (`F5`), Source Mode (`F6`, CodeMirror 6)
- **Multi-Cursor** — `Mod + D` to select next match, `Alt + Click` to add cursors, `Mod + Alt + ↑↓` for vertical cursors
- **Tab Escape** — Auto-pair brackets/quotes, press Tab to jump past closing characters
- **CJK Done Right** — 20+ formatting rules for Chinese, Japanese, Korean text
- **10 Languages** — English · 简体中文 · 繁體中文 · 日本語 · 한국어 · Deutsch · Español · Français · Italiano · Português (Brasil). Auto-detected on first launch.
- **6 Themes** — White, Paper, Mint, Sepia, Night, Solarized
- **Local-First** — No cloud, no accounts, no analytics. Documents stay on your machine.
- **122 Shortcuts** — All customizable in Settings

See the full feature list at **[vmark.app/guide/features](https://vmark.app/guide/features)**.

---

## Install

**macOS (Homebrew):**

```bash
brew install xiaolai/tap/vmark
```

**Manual:** Download from the [Releases page](https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark/releases).
- Apple Silicon: `VMark_x.x.x_aarch64.dmg`
- Intel: `VMark_x.x.x_x64.dmg`

**Windows & Linux:** Pre-built binaries on the [Releases page](https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark/releases). macOS is the primary platform; other builds are best-effort.

---

## AI Integration

VMark speaks [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) natively. **Settings → Integrations → Install** — one click per assistant.

Supported: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI.

See the **[MCP Setup Guide](https://vmark.app/guide/mcp-setup)**.

---

## Contributing: Issues Only, No PRs

VMark is **vibe-coded** — written entirely by AI under human supervision. We welcome **issues** (bug reports, feature requests) but cannot safely merge external PRs.

When you file an issue, AI fixes it with full context of the project's conventions, test suite, and architecture.

- **[Bug Report](https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark/blob/HEAD/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml)** · **[Feature Request](https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark/blob/HEAD/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.yml)**
- Read more: **[Why Issues, Not PRs](https://vmark.app/guide/users-as-developers/why-issues-not-prs)**

---

## Building from Source

**Prerequisites:** [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) 20+, [pnpm](https://pnpm.io/) 10+, [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install) (stable), [Tauri v2 prerequisites](https://v2.tauri.app/start/prerequisites/)

```bash
git clone https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark.git
cd vmark
pnpm install
pnpm tauri dev        # Development
pnpm tauri build      # Production
pnpm check:all        # Lint + test + build
```

**Tech Stack:** Tauri v2 (Rust), React 19, TypeScript, Zustand v5, Tiptap, CodeMirror 6, Tailwind CSS v4

**AI-Assisted Development:** The repo ships with full configuration for Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Gemini CLI. See `AGENTS.md` for conventions and `.claude/` for rules, skills, and subagents.

---

## Star History

<!-- Self-hosted so the chart never depends on api.star-history.com's flaky
     server-render (it times out for this repo). Regenerate with
     `node scripts/gen-star-history.mjs`. Click through for the live version. -->
<a href="https://www.star-history.com/?repos=xiaolai%2Fvmark&type=date&legend=top-left">
  <img alt="Star History Chart" src="./.github/star-history.svg" width="800" />
</a>

---

## License

[ISC License](https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark/tree/HEAD/LICENSE) — free to use, copy, modify, and distribute. See the [license page](https://vmark.app/guide/license) for details.

---

<p align="center">
  <b>Questions?</b> Open an <a href="https://github.com/xiaolai/vmark/issues">issue</a> · <b>Updates?</b> Watch this repo
</p>