Introduction

ZITEXT is a unified, high-performance text editor built for modern development workflows. It combines the speed of a native app with the flexibility of modern web technologies.

Current Version: Release 1.0 (Stable)

Why ZITEXT?

We built ZITEXT to address the common frustrations developers have with existing editors: bloat, slow startup times, and complex configurations. ZITEXT focuses on:

  • Speed: Instant startup (under 300ms) and low memory footprint.
  • Simplicity: A clean, distraction-free UI that stays out of your way.
  • Power: Built on Rust (Tauri v2) and Monaco Editor (VS Code's core), giving you industry-standard reliability and performance with WebAssembly and Web Workers.
  • Developer-Focused: Advanced tools for JSON/XML/YAML formatting, multi-cursor editing, column selection, split view, and command palette.

System Requirements

ZITEXT runs smoothly on:

  • macOS: 10.15 Catalina or later (Silicon & Intel)
  • Windows: 10 or 11 (64-bit)
  • Linux: Ubuntu 20.04+, Fedora 34+, Arch Linux

Coming from Notepad++?

If you're a macOS user looking for a text editor with familiar power-user features, ZITEXT offers native performance with capabilities you'll recognize:

  • Multi-cursor editing: Edit multiple locations simultaneously
  • Column (rectangular) selection: Perfect for editing CSV data or aligned code
  • Advanced search & replace: Case-sensitive, whole-word, and regex support
  • Syntax highlighting: 60+ languages including JavaScript, Python, C++, and more
  • Split view: Compare files side-by-side
  • Customizable shortcuts: Remap any command to match your workflow
  • Command palette: Quick access to all features
  • Session restoration: Pick up exactly where you left off

ZITEXT brings these powerful features to macOS with native performance and a modern, clean interface.

Getting Started

Up and running in seconds.

Installation

Download the installer for your operating system from the homepage. Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts. ZITEXT is self-contained and requires no external dependencies.

First Launch

When you first open ZITEXT, you'll see a Welcome Screen with quick actions and recent files. The interface consists of:

  1. Menu Bar: Full access to file operations, edit tools, view options, and language selection.
  2. Sidebar: File Explorer for browsing project folders (toggle with Cmd/Ctrl+B).
  3. Tab Bar: Shows currently open files with drag-to-reorder support.
  4. Editor Area: Monaco-powered workspace with line numbers, syntax highlighting, and minimap.
  5. Status Bar: Displays cursor position (Ln, Col), language mode, encoding (UTF-8), line endings (LF/CRLF), file size, character/word count, and font controls.

Welcome Screen

The Welcome Screen provides quick access to common actions:

  • New File: Create a new untitled document
  • Open File: Browse and open existing files
  • Open Folder: Open a project folder for exploration
  • Recent Files: Access your 10 most recently opened files
  • Keyboard Shortcuts: Quick reference guide

File Management

Efficiently handle files and sessions.

Creating & Opening

New File

Press Cmd+N (Mac) or Ctrl+N (Win/Linux) to create a new tab. Files are created in memory and aren't written to disk until you save.

Open File

You can open files in three ways:

  • Shortcut: Press Cmd+O / Ctrl+O.
  • Menu: File > Open File...
  • Drag & Drop: Simply drag a file from your system file explorer and drop it anywhere into the ZITEXT window.

Saving

Save & Save As

Use Cmd+S to save. If the file is untitled, ZITEXT will prompt you for a location. To save a copy, use Cmd+Shift+S (Save As).

Session Management

ZITEXT automatically remembers your state. If you quit the application with open tabs (even unsaved ones), they will be restored exactly as you left them the next time you launch the app. This includes:

  • Open Tabs: All files and their unsaved content
  • Cursor Position: Exact line and column for each file
  • Scroll Position: Where you were viewing in each file
  • Active Tab: Which file was selected
  • Settings: All customizations (theme, font, etc.)

Auto-Save

ZITEXT offers three auto-save modes (configure in Settings):

  • Off: Manual save only (default)
  • After Delay: Save automatically after 500-10000ms of inactivity
  • On Focus Change: Save when switching between tabs

File Explorer

Open entire folders to browse your project structure in the Sidebar:

  • Tree View: Expandable/collapsible directory structure
  • File Icons: Visual file type indicators
  • Resizable: Drag the sidebar edge (150-600px width)
  • Toggle Visibility: Cmd/Ctrl+B
  • Lazy Loading: Directories load on demand for performance
Note: ZITEXT keeps a history of your 10 most recently opened files for quick access. Files are also monitored for external changes with automatic reload prompts.

Core Editing

Powerful editing capabilities backed by the Monaco Editor engine.

Syntax Highlighting

ZITEXT supports rich syntax highlighting for over 60 languages out of the box, powered by Monaco Editor's TextMate grammars.

Supported Languages

Web Technologies:

JavaScript (.js, .jsx), TypeScript (.ts, .tsx), HTML, CSS, SCSS, Sass, Less

Data Formats:

JSON, XML, YAML (.yaml, .yml), TOML, INI (.ini, .cfg, .conf)

Programming Languages:

Python, Java, C, C++, C#, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, Swift, Kotlin, Scala, R, Lua, Perl

Shell & Scripts:

Bash, Zsh, Fish, PowerShell (.ps1), Batch (.bat, .cmd)

Markup & Documentation:

Markdown (.md), LaTeX (.tex)

Database:

SQL

Other:

Plain Text (.txt, .log), Dockerfile, and many more...

The language is automatically detected based on the file extension. For untitled files, ZITEXT can even detect the language from content. You can manually override by clicking the language name in the Status Bar.

Smart Editing Features

Multi-Cursor Editing

Edit multiple locations simultaneously. Hold Alt (Option on Mac) and click to add multiple cursors. Or press Cmd+D to select the next occurrence of the current selection.

Column (Rectangular) Selection

Select and edit vertical blocks of text - perfect for editing CSV data or aligned code:

  • Windows/Linux: Alt+Shift+Drag
  • macOS: Option+Shift+Drag
  • All Platforms: Middle mouse button + drag
  • Keyboard: Shift+Alt+Arrow Keys

IntelliSense & Code Completion

Context-aware code suggestions powered by Monaco Editor. Get intelligent completions as you type, with support for common programming patterns and syntax.

Auto-Closing Brackets

Type (, {, [, or " and ZITEXT will automatically insert the closing character and place your cursor inside.

Code Folding

Collapse and expand code blocks to focus on what matters. Click the arrow icons in the gutter or use keyboard shortcuts to fold/unfold regions.

Smart Indentation

Automatic indentation based on the programming language and context. ZITEXT understands your code structure and maintains proper formatting.

Word Wrap & Minimap

Toggle Word Wrap from the View menu for long lines. The minimap provides a bird's-eye view of your code - toggle it from the Status Bar or Settings.

Line & Block Comments

  • Toggle Line Comment: Cmd/Ctrl+/
  • Toggle Block Comment: Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+/

Advanced Features

Split View

View and edit two files side-by-side - perfect for comparing code or working with multiple files:

  • Toggle Split View: Cmd/Ctrl+\
  • Independent Editing: Separate cursor and scroll positions
  • 50/50 Split: Equal width panes that share theme settings
  • Swap Panes: Switch left/right content
  • Open in Right Pane: Choose which file to display where

Command Palette

Access all commands quickly with Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P:

  • Fuzzy Search: Find commands by typing
  • Keyboard Navigation: Arrow keys to browse
  • Available Commands:
    • Format JSON, Minify JSON, Validate JSON, Sort JSON Keys
    • Format XML, Validate XML
    • Format YAML
    • And more...

Data Tools

Professional tools for working with structured data:

JSON Tools

  • Format JSON: Pretty print with proper indentation
  • Minify JSON: Remove all whitespace for production
  • Validate JSON: Check syntax with line/column error reporting
  • Sort JSON Keys: Alphabetically organize keys (recursive)

XML Tools

  • Format XML: Auto-indent and structure XML documents
  • Validate XML: Check for syntax errors

YAML Tools

  • Format YAML: Proper indentation and structure

Search & Navigation

Find & Replace

Press Cmd+F to open Find, or Cmd+H for Find & Replace. Features include:

  • Case Sensitive: Match exact casing
  • Match Whole Word: Avoid partial matches
  • Regex Support: Use regular expressions for complex patterns
  • In-Selection Search: Search within selected text only

Go to Line

Jump to any line instantly with Cmd+G. Enter a line number to navigate directly.

Format Document

Auto-format your entire document with Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F. Supports automatic formatting based on the file type.

Customization

Themes

Choose from multiple theme options in Settings:

  • Application Themes: Light or Dark
  • Editor Themes: Light, Dark, High Contrast Dark, High Contrast Light

Dark mode is optimized for low-light environments and reduces eye strain. High contrast themes provide enhanced visibility for accessibility.

Font Control

Customize your typography:

  • 9 Monospace Fonts: Monaco, Consolas, Courier New, Menlo, Source Code Pro, Fira Code, JetBrains Mono, Ubuntu Mono, and monospace
  • Font Size: 8-72px range (default: 14px)
  • Quick Zoom: Cmd/Ctrl + and Cmd/Ctrl -

Customizable Keyboard Shortcuts

Remap any shortcut to match your workflow. Access the keybinding editor from Settings with:

  • Visual interface for all shortcuts
  • Conflict detection warns of duplicate bindings
  • Platform-aware (Cmd on Mac, Ctrl on Windows/Linux)

Security Features

  • Content Security Policy: Strict security in production builds
  • Path Traversal Protection: Blocks access to system directories
  • File Size Limits: 10MB maximum file size with 1MB warning threshold
  • Safe Encoding: UTF-8 validation and handling

Keyboard Shortcuts

Become a power user with these essential hotkeys.

Action macOS Windows / Linux
FILE OPERATIONS
New File Cmd + N Ctrl + N
Open File Cmd + O Ctrl + O
Save Cmd + S Ctrl + S
Save As Cmd + Shift + S Ctrl + Shift + S
Close Tab Cmd + W Ctrl + W
EDITING
Find Cmd + F Ctrl + F
Find & Replace Cmd + H Ctrl + H
Go to Line Cmd + G Ctrl + G
Toggle Line Comment Cmd + / Ctrl + /
Toggle Block Comment Cmd + Shift + / Ctrl + Shift + /
Format Document Cmd + Shift + F Ctrl + Shift + F
Multi-Cursor (Next Match) Cmd + D Ctrl + D
Multi-Cursor (Add) Option + Click Alt + Click
Column Selection Option + Shift + Drag Alt + Shift + Drag
Column Selection (Mouse) Middle Mouse + Drag Middle Mouse + Drag
Column Selection (Keyboard) Shift + Option + Arrow Shift + Alt + Arrow
Move Line Up Option + ↑ Alt + ↑
Move Line Down Option + ↓ Alt + ↓
VIEW
Toggle Split View Cmd + \ Ctrl + \
Toggle Sidebar Cmd + B Ctrl + B
Zoom In Cmd + + Ctrl + +
Zoom Out Cmd + - Ctrl + -
TOOLS
Command Palette Cmd + Shift + P Ctrl + Shift + P
Pro Tip: All keyboard shortcuts are fully customizable! Access the keybinding editor from Settings to remap any shortcut to your preference.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

File Not Saving

Ensure you have write permissions for the directory you are trying to save to. If the file is read-only, try "Save As" to a different location.

Language Not Detected

If ZITEXT doesn't automatically detect the language, check if the file has a standard extension. You can always manually set the language from the Status Bar at the bottom right.

Getting Help

If you encounter bugs, please report them on our GitHub Issues page or join our Discord community.