LoomMark

LoomMark is a source-backed, live-rendering Markdown editor for Visual Studio Code. It offers direct rich-text editing while keeping VS Code's TextDocument as the source of truth for saves, Git integration, external changes, and editor lifecycle behavior.

Features

• Edit headings, lists, tables, code blocks, links, and common Markdown constructs in place.
• Use selection toolbars and slash commands powered by Milkdown Crepe.
• Keep edits synchronized with the underlying Markdown file through minimal text replacements.
• Continue using VS Code dirty state, file watching, source control, and external file updates.
• Compose CJK text without sending incomplete input-method updates.
• Follow the active VS Code light, dark, or high-contrast appearance.
• Choose the VS Code, Crepe, Frame, or Nord editor palette.
• See compact H1 through H6 indicators without changing the Markdown source.
• Navigate a collapsible, live-updating outline with current-section highlighting.

Installation

Install LoomMark from the Visual Studio Marketplace, or install a release VSIX from the repository:

code --install-extension loommark.vsix

After installation, Markdown files open with LoomMark by default. Use the code icon in the editor title bar to reopen the current file in VS Code's source editor.

Settings

You can also select Reopen Editor With... from the editor context menu to choose an editor for an individual file.

The native Markdown Outline view appears in VS Code's Explorer while a LoomMark editor is active. Selecting a heading in either outline reveals the same heading in the editor, including when a document contains duplicate heading text.

Data And Privacy

LoomMark processes documents locally inside VS Code. The extension does not include analytics, telemetry, advertising, network requests, or a remote document service. Markdown images that use remote URLs are loaded by VS Code's Webview under its content security policy.

Current Limitations

• Synchronization currently represents each editor update as the smallest single contiguous text replacement. Concurrent overlapping edits from another editor are not yet rebased.
• Markdown syntax unsupported by Milkdown's parser may not round-trip perfectly. Review unusual extensions or dialect-specific constructs before relying on rich-text editing.
• Only one LoomMark editor is supported per text document at a time.

See DESIGN.md for synchronization invariants and the lossless-source roadmap.

Development

Prerequisites are Node.js 20 or later and VS Code 1.95 or later.

npm ci
npm run check
npm run compile

Open the repository in VS Code and press F5. The Extension Development Host rebuilds the extension before launch. Additional commands:

npm run watch      # rebuild on source changes
npm run build      # create production bundles
npm run package    # validate and create artifacts/loommark.vsix

Read CONTRIBUTING.md before submitting a change. Security issues should follow SECURITY.md; usage questions are covered by SUPPORT.md.

Acknowledgements

LoomMark is built on Milkdown, Crepe, ProseMirror, CodeMirror, and the Visual Studio Code Extension API. Their maintainers and contributors make this editor possible. See THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md for license details.

Citation And License

To cite this software, use the metadata in CITATION.cff. LoomMark is released under the MIT License.