Designed for reading
Reading fonts, five paper colors and a focus mode that leaves only the text.
READ · THINK · KEEP
Read on paper. Note in the margin.
Leave the source untouched.
A Markdown tool built for reading. Open it in your browser, mark it up, and your .md stays exactly as it was.
No sign-up · Free for now · Work is cached in this browser, so remember to export a backup
Notes never touch the source
Marker, wavy underline, underline and notes all live in the Annotations panel.
Take your reading with you
Long image, annotations, or a full text + annotations backup.
Designed for reading
Type set on paper,
not in a box.
Paper colors, typefaces and font sizes tuned for long reading. When you read, the toolbars can step away entirely.
- Ink
- Parchment
- Cream
- White
- Soft green
- Serif reading fonts, or import a font you already have
- Adjustable font size; standard or wide text column
- Focus mode hides the sidebar and toolbar; press Esc to leave
Notes beside the text
Your thoughts go in the margin,
not in the file.
Highlights and notes are saved separately. Read and annotate the same .md as often as you like; the file itself never changes.
Welcome.mdSource · unchangedWelcome.annotations.mdAnnotations · exported separatelyWelcome.annotations.jsonAnnotations · structured data
The Annotations panel collects every note; click one to jump back to it.
Source and reading, side by side
The draft on the left. How it reads on the right.
Switch to Split and every edit updates the preview at once. Double-click either side and the other follows. The outline shows the shape of long documents at a glance.
- Edit · source only
- Split · source + preview
- Read · paper only
Take your reading with you
Everything you read, ready to take away.
It is all under Export in the top bar. Browser caches can be cleared, so save anything that matters.
.pngLong image
Save the preview as a long image, with or without annotations.
.annotations.md · .jsonAnnotations
Export as Markdown or JSON for your own notes system.
.zipText + annotations backup
Archive both in one file; import or export .md anytime.
Open it anywhere
Read on your laptop.
Read on your phone.
Highlight and add notes in a mobile browser too. The bottom bar keeps just three entries: Outline, Annotations, Edit.
- The web version works as soon as it loads: no sign-up, no install
- Mobile web: reading, selection notes, editing and settings
- Interface in 简体中文, 繁體中文, English and 日本語
- Optional local Agent Bridge: recent documents and two-way local file sync
About the desktop test builds TEST · unsigned
macOS and Windows installers are for testing only — not a formally signed release, and not ready for public distribution. Unsigned builds may be blocked by Gatekeeper on macOS or show a SmartScreen “unknown publisher” warning on Windows; that is expected. CI smoke tests do not establish physical-device install acceptance.
Engineering prepared the signing and notarization pipeline skeleton. Apple Developer ID, notarization credentials, and Windows certificates remain on the account holder’s side. Do not treat download links as a formal release until certificates are in place and verified on real machines.
Run the desktop app from source:
npm install npm run desktop
Read about desktop test builds ↗ · Signing checklist (waiting on certificates) ↗
Questions
Before you start reading,
you might wonder.
Didn’t find your answer? Open an issue on GitHub, or just open the editor and try a document.
Ask a question ↗01Is Mojian free?
Yes, for now, and no sign-up is needed. Reading, annotating and exporting cost nothing. The license limits commercial use; see “Can I use it commercially?” below.
02Will annotations change my .md file?
No. Marker, wavy underline, underline and notes live only in the Annotations panel and separate annotation data; they are never written back. The .md you export matches the one you imported, and annotations export separately as .annotations.md or .annotations.json.
03Where is my data stored?
In the web version, documents and annotations are kept in your current browser’s local cache and never uploaded. They don’t follow you when you clear site data or switch browsers or devices, so download a text + annotations backup from Export.
04Can I keep annotating on another device?
Not yet. Annotations can be exported, but importing them and merging across devices are not built. For now, finish a document on the same device and browser.
05How do I read and edit on a phone?
A mobile browser opens straight into reading; select text to highlight it or add a note. The bottom bar has Outline, Annotations and Edit — tap Edit to change the text, then switch back.
06How is it different from Obsidian or Typora?
Obsidian excels at linked knowledge bases and plugins; Typora excels at fluid writing. Mojian focuses on reading one Markdown document through and keeping your notes apart from the source. They work well side by side.
07Is there AI?
There is an optional AI assistant. It needs Claude Code or Codex CLI installed and signed in locally, or a Gemini API key; provider charges may apply, and Mojian does not provide a model. Reading and annotating need no AI.
08Why does the desktop app say “unsigned”?
The desktop app is still a test build and its installers are not yet code-signed, so macOS or Windows may show a security warning. If you’d rather avoid that, use the web version.
09Can I use it commercially? Is it open source?
The source is available under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 license, which allows noncommercial use. It is not open source as defined by the OSI. Commercial use needs a separate license; LICENSING.md in the repository is authoritative.
10Is it a notes app or a collaborative editor?
Neither. Mojian doesn’t manage a vault, link notes or support multiple editors. It is a reading tool: open a document, read it through, annotate it, take it with you.
Find a Markdown file worth reading properly.
Import it and mark a few lines. Export your notes when you’re done — the original stays as it was.