Shazao-markdown

Project Overview

Shazao is a WYSIWYG Markdown editor for Windows: a single exe with no install and no browser-engine dependency, staying quick even on large documents. The repository only provides installers and release notes, not the application source code.

It packs editing, tables, diagrams, images and export into one compact binary: a single cursor flows through paragraphs, lists, quotes, tables and code blocks, Mermaid diagrams render in the editor, and export covers HTML, PDF, Word, EPUB and archives.

Item	Value
Platform	Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
Form	single portable exe
Current version	v0.6.5
Source	not published, installers only

A WYSIWYG Markdown editor without a browser engine, one portable file that keeps large documents snappy.

Key Features

• Three views: WYSIWYG editing, source view and locked reading switch freely while preserving reading position
• Full editing: undo/redo, regex find and replace, auto-pairing, spell check, focus and typewriter modes, local history
• GFM tables: in-cell editing, merged cells, column sorting, paste-as-table, column dragging and a table toolbar
• Mermaid diagrams: a dozen-plus kinds including flowcharts, sequence and Gantt charts and mind maps, copyable as images or saved as PNG/SVG
• Image handling: paste, drag and insert screenshots, display and file resizing, localization, image-host upload, SVG and GIF support
• Rich export: HTML (single file), PDF, Word with formulas and images, EPUB and archives, plus rich-text conversion both ways
• Multi-encoding I/O: reading, writing and converting UTF-8, UTF-16, GB18030, Big5, Shift-JIS, EUC-KR and more
• Appearance: 17 color themes with a gallery and per-item customization, plus Windows Terminal theme import

Target Audience

• Windows writers tired of heavyweight Electron editors
• Heavy Markdown users living in tables and Mermaid diagrams
• Users handling legacy encodings like GB18030 and Big5
• Fans of single-file portable software

Quick Start

1. Download the Shazao win64 zip or the exe directly from Releases
2. Put it in a writable folder and double-click to run, no install needed
3. If Windows protected your PC appears on first run, choose More info → Run anyway
4. Create or open an md document and switch between edit, source and reading views
5. Settings and shortcuts live in ini files beside the exe, carry the whole folder to move

Core Advantages

• No browser engine: a self-drawn interface sheds the Chromium payload from startup and rendering
• Single-file portability: one exe plus config files is everything, pocket-sized on a USB drive
• High feature density: tables, diagrams, multi-encoding and multi-format export in one small tool
• Meticulous iteration: release notes track interaction details and regression results item by item

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
OS	Windows 10 / 11
Architecture	64-bit
Runtime	none to install
Install	portable, keep it in a writable directory

Notes

• No source in repo: this repository only distributes the program and version notes, source stays closed for now
• No digital signature: the first run triggers a SmartScreen prompt, normal for unsigned software
• Avoid Program Files: settings and caches live in ini files and folders beside the exe, keep the directory writable
• Fast iteration: some features are still being polished, real IME candidates and multi-DPI scenarios remain under validation