Pinake Editor 📚

Pinake Editor is a local-first documentation manager built directly into VS Code. Create, organize, search, validate, import, and export project documentation without leaving your editor.

Unlike cloud documentation tools, Pinake Editor keeps your project knowledge inside your workspace. Markdown documents, manifests, indexes, and generated state stay local and reviewable.

✨ Key Features

1. 📁 Native Documentation Explorer

Manage your documentation from a dedicated VS Code Activity Bar view:

• Project Documentation Tree - Browse .pinake/docs from a native sidebar
• Favorites - Keep important Markdown files pinned in a virtual Favorites group
• Preview by Default - Open documents in Markdown Preview with one click
• Explicit Editing - Use the Edit action when you want to modify the Markdown source
• Context Actions - Rename, duplicate, delete, reveal, copy path, show properties, and sort items

2. 🧱 Documentation Workspace Setup

Create a complete Pinake workspace with a guided setup flow:

• Local .pinake/ Folder - Stores project documentation and metadata inside the repository
• Manifest Source of Truth - Tracks project metadata, modules, and document paths in .pinake/pinake.json
• Template Selection - Choose from focused documentation templates for projects, APIs, architecture, operations, and product handbooks
• Optional Modules - Add recommended documentation modules without bloating the initial setup
• Explorer Visibility Control - Optionally hide .pinake from the standard VS Code Explorer

3. 📝 Markdown-First Documentation

Keep documentation portable, editable, and easy to review:

• Plain Markdown Files - Human-authored content lives under .pinake/docs
• Frontmatter Metadata - Generated documents include title, type, status, and order metadata
• Preview / Edit Split - Read in Markdown Preview and edit source only when needed
• New File and Folder Actions - Create documentation directly from the Pinake sidebar
• Safe Local Paths - Commands reject absolute paths, .., and files outside the Pinake docs root

4. 🔎 Offline Search

Find project knowledge without relying on external services:

• Local Indexes - Search data is generated in .pinake/.state/indexes.json
• Snippet Results - Results include matched text, document path, tags, and headings
• Scoped Queries - Filter by text, tag:<name>, or heading:<text>
• Backlink and Reference Data - Track local references and broken Markdown links
• No Network Required - Search runs entirely inside the workspace

5. 🧩 Templates and Modules

Generate useful documentation structure quickly:

• Minimal Internal Docs
• Product / Project Docs
• Technical Architecture
• API / Service Docs
• Operations / Runbook
• Full Product Handbook
• Component Modules - Add focused docs for API, Database, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Frontend, Mobile, Authentication, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, Backend, Cache, Message Queue, OAuth, IaC, Monitoring, Security, CLI, SDK, and Microservice projects

6. ✅ Validation and Repair

Keep documentation structure healthy over time:

• Manifest Validation - Checks .pinake/pinake.json against the expected schema
• State Validation - Validates generated module, UI, index, migration, and version state files
• Markdown Checks - Reports missing files, frontmatter drift, ADR naming issues, style warnings, and broken local links
• Secret Hygiene Warnings - Flags obvious sensitive content patterns without failing the whole validation run
• Repair Workflow - Recreates missing generated files and discovers untracked Markdown without overwriting edited documents

7. 🔄 Import, Export, and Upgrade

Move documentation in and out of Pinake safely:

• Markdown Import - Bring existing Markdown folders into .pinake/docs/imported
• Static Export - Export a reviewable bundle with docs/, pinake.json, and index.html
• Legacy Upgrade - Migrate older Pinake folders into the current .pinake/docs layout
• Migration History - Record upgrade activity in generated state
• CI Validator Generation - Create a standalone validator and GitHub Actions workflow when you want repository checks

8. 🤖 Agent Skill Support

Use Pinake with automation-friendly workflows:

• Install Agent Skill - Install the packaged Pinake skill into your Codex skill directory
• Source-Backed Docs - Agents can read and update documentation from local Markdown files
• Reviewable Changes - Documentation edits remain normal repository diffs
• No External Storage - Generated extension state stays under .pinake/.state

🚀 How to Use

Open the Pinake activity bar icon in the sidebar, or use the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):

Keyboard Shortcuts

🛡️ Privacy

Your documentation is yours.

• No Telemetry - Pinake Editor does NOT send project documentation to external servers
• Local Workspace Storage - Documents, manifests, indexes, and UI state are stored inside the current workspace
• No Account Required - No sign-up, no cloud account, no external API keys
• Reviewable Files - Markdown and JSON files can be inspected before committing them
• Generated State Isolation - .pinake/.gitignore ignores .pinake/.state/ by default

📝 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Happy documenting! 📚