The road to 1.0, and after

Every piece of work between today’s source alpha and a verified Mac release, then the chapters planned beyond it.

Checked against the development repository on 15 October 2026. A source-only alpha is available to build yourself; there is no ready-to-install app and no 1.0 yet. “Merged” means the work is in the development code, not that it is verified for 1.0. No dates are promised.

Where it stands

To 1.0: 20 of 37 work areas are merged, 2 are being built and 15 are still required. After 1.0: 11 planned chapters, from 1.0.x to 1.10, then 7 ideas with no version yet. Point at any part for a summary; select it for the full detail.

NowSource alpha

1.0Verified Mac release

Thenafter 1.0

Merged
Being built
Still required
Planned
Exploring

To 1.0 37 work areas

Write, find and organise

11 of 12 merged

The everyday editor: files, native windows, precise edits, navigation and settings.

The full chapter

MostlyText development build: the sidebar with Folder, Outline and Search sections beside the Markdown source, whose headings appear in the outline. — Merged: the Folder, Outline and Search sidebar beside the source. Each heading is a place in the outline.

File and format coreMerged

Text-first format registry, encoding-aware file I/O, atomic save, dirty tracking, recovery

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Project foundations.

Issue 2Plan reference E01

Workspace shellMerged

Native document windows, per-window sidebar, menus and window restoration

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on File and format core.

Issue 3Plan reference E02

Native tabs and sessionsMerged

Native NSWindow tab groups, document deduplication, dirty-close flow, session restore

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on File and format core; Workspace shell.

Issue 4Plan reference E03

Native text editorMerged

NSTextView/TextKit 2, viewport-lazy layout, per-document undo, wrap and selection

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on File and format core.

Issue 5Plan reference E04

Syntax highlightingMerged

Tree-sitter language registry, Tomorrow themes and live switching

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Native text editor.

Issue 6Plan reference E05

Document outlineMerged

Heading tree, navigation and current section

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Markdown engine; Workspace shell.

Issue 9Plan reference E08

Folder browserMerged

Lazy folders, watching, create/rename/move/trash, root switching

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on File and format core; Workspace shell; Native tabs and sessions.

Issue 10Plan reference E09

Markdown editing assistsMerged

Lists/tasks/quotes, delimiter pairing, formatting, indentation

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Native text editor.

Issue 11Plan reference E10

Multiple text formatsMerged

JSON validation/formatting/outline, HTML preview toggle, source-language registry

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Syntax highlighting; Native Markdown preview.

Issue 12Plan reference E11

SettingsMerged

Native settings and live application

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Workspace shell.

Issue 14Plan reference E13

External file changesMerged

Live disk changes, conflict handling, reload with state preservation

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on File and format core; Native tabs and sessions; Native text editor.

Issue 30Plan reference E18

Everyday editor essentialsBeing built

Line numbers, status bar, Go to Line/Column, invisibles
Multi-cursor, occurrence selection, one-step undo
Document literal/regex find and replace; Cmd-F binding
Quick Open and recent files
Streaming folder search and previewed safe folder replacement
Line transforms, sort/deduplicate, whitespace, case, comments, indentation
Source editing profiles and syntax override
Explicit encoding reopen/save and undoable LF/CRLF/CR conversion
Scoped snippets with selection, clipboard and final caret
TeX/LaTeX source recognition with deliberate plain-styled fallback; no compilation
Parser-option cleanup and command-catalog consistency

Feature slices implemented; release closure and remaining native/safety proof are open.

#173/#159/#155 remain open; #472 evidence-only experiment is not a shipped performance fix.

Depends on Whole-app polish and first run; Interim localisation baseline.

Issue 112 Issue 183 Issue 203 Issue 459Plan reference E22

Explain the technical work

7 of 9 merged

Markdown preview, diagrams, equations and export, with the correctness and safety work they still need.

The full chapter

MostlyText development build: the rendered preview with a heading, a bulleted checklist, a syntax-highlighted Swift code block and a quotation. — Merged: the native Markdown preview, with syntax-highlighted code. Diagrams and math also render; their correctness work is still required.

Markdown engineMerged

GFM parsing, YAML front matter, source ranges, debounced parse

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on File and format core.

Issue 7Plan reference E06

Native Markdown previewMerged

Textual preview, editor-only/preview-only/split modes, scroll sync

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Markdown engine; Native text editor.

Issue 8Plan reference E07

HTML and PDF exportMerged

Shared renderer-neutral output, local resources, standalone HTML and print-based PDF

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Markdown engine; Multiple text formats.

Issue 13Plan reference E12

Contributions and text filtersMerged

First-party contribution registry, TOC, bounded local filters, command palette

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Native Markdown preview; HTML and PDF export.

Issue 15Plan reference E14

Math and scientific notationMerged

Inline/display math, local derived rendering, export, diagnostics

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Markdown editing assists; HTML and PDF export; Contributions and text filters.

Issue 44Plan reference E19

Mermaid diagramsMerged

Native preview integration, local render pool, vector SVG export/copy, focused preview

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on HTML and PDF export; Contributions and text filters.

Issue 45Plan reference E20

D2 and GraphvizMerged

Accepted local D2 and Graphviz/DOT renderers; WaveDrom rejected for 1.0

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Mermaid diagrams.

Issue 46Plan reference E21

Contributions, anchors and math correctnessStill required

Navigable TOC/shared heading anchors and destination-capability rules
Consistent palette commands and export snapshot/extra parse cost
Math source-aware delimiters, currency/escaped dollars, structured diagnostics, accessibility and source navigation

Depends on Everyday editor essentials.

Issue 117 Issue 116Plan reference anchors

HTML preview and export safetyStill required

Pinned descriptor resource opening; finish immutable per-load contexts, bounded executor/quotas and WebKit proof
Export source parity, escaped URL slots, resource budgets, asset ownership/retirement and publication safety
Real multipage PDF and app export-panel evidence

#121 stage A implemented/probed on macOS 26.5.1; minimum 26.0 and downstream stages remain.

Depends on Everyday editor essentials.

Issue 121 Issue 118Plan reference resource-security

Feel at home on a Mac

1 of 4 merged

Themes, Finder and Quick Look, accessibility, language quality and reliable document handling.

The full chapter

MostlyText development build: the corner of a native macOS window with its controls, a document bar reading “Untitled — Save As… ⌘⇧S to name this document”, the folder panel and the first lines of Markdown. — A native window and document: an untitled file offers Save As with the standard shortcut. Finder, Quick Look, themes and localisation are still ahead.

Whole-app polish and first runMerged

Native visual polish, accessibility code work, welcome/sample, fidelity tests

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Depends on Folder browser; Math and scientific notation; D2 and Graphviz.

Issue 16Plan reference E15

Mac integration and personalisationStill required

Shared semantic palette across editor/chrome/preview/export
At least 8 bundled themes: 4 light and 4 dark, contrast/provenance verified
Independent light/dark selection and safe data-only custom theme import/export
Mermaid/D2/Graphviz theme coherence or explicit safe neutral output
Markdown-only Quick Look: static safe HTML, local math/diagrams, bounded fallback
Safe resource authority shared with export/HTML preview
Finder Open With/UTI/handler-rank audit; final production app/document icon
Real Quick Look security, cancellation, performance and native registration evidence

Final planned capability epic. PR #476 Mermaid and #477 Graphviz are open, not merged. D2 theming is unresolved against whole-epic neutral fallback criterion.

Depends on Everyday editor essentials; MacDown 2 → MostlyText: brand and identity crossover; HTML preview and export safety; Contributions, anchors and math correctness.

Issue 113 Issue 79Plan reference E23

File, settings and native hardeningBeing built

Legacy-compatible settings decoding, complete key-by-key legacy import, idempotence and precedence
External-file manual/performance matrix and conflict-close flow
Open/Save progress, close-label race and latency evidence
Navigation reveal lifecycle, TextFilter fixture ownership and sustained test reliability
Editor/highlighter geometry, snapshot and stale-async correctness

Depends on Everyday editor essentials.

Issue 53 Issue 119 Issue 120 Issue 173 Issue 159 Issue 155 Issue 459 Issue 88 Issue 183Plan reference safety

Final localisation and string freezeStill required

Actual bundle-aware resource extraction and translation resolution
Plural/layout/pseudo-localisation, native-speaker QA and real non-English app journeys
Freeze exact source/translation/UI baseline after V1

fr/pl/ja seed catalogs and infrastructure exist; they are an interim baseline, not final language quality. Transifex access/project and reviewers need verification.

Depends on Private candidate 1 and native verification.

Issue 17Plan reference E16

The move to MostlyText

0 of 5 merged

MacDown 2 becomes MostlyText. The visible crossover: the app's name and icon, kept settings and documents, the CLI, distribution and the repository move. Still ahead.

The full chapter

The MostlyText mark, a forward-leaning M and T that share one stem, shown in dark ink on a light ground and in white on a near-black ground. — The MostlyText identity: the Slant mark in one colour, on light and on dark. The website already uses it; the app still runs as MacDown 2 until this chapter renames it.

MacDown 2 → MostlyText: brand and identity crossoverStill required

Apply MostlyText display/product identity, menus, About/Help and onboarding
Integrate accepted production icon/wordmark and document-icon assets; verify Finder/Dock/small sizes
Use app.mostlytext.MostlyText and consistent Quick Look/theme/document identifiers
Migrate preferences, Application Support, sessions, recovery, recent roots, snippets and custom themes without data loss
Adopt mostlytext CLI and decide compatibility alias/delivery topology
Align mostlytext.app, mostlytext.dev routing, downloads, docs, support, signing and updater identity
Mirror full repository history only at final cutover; preserve MIT, copyright and MacDown lineage

The identity is decided; integration and migration are still required. Fresh installs and upgrades from MacDown 2 must both be verified.

Depends on Everyday editor essentials.

Issue 158Plan reference identity

Release-side software before UI freezeStill required

Development/beta identity and recovery/session/snippet/theme-state migration
Legacy MacDown preferences import without clobbering configured new values
CLI open/stdin/--wait and final delivery topology
Sparkle 2 updater/settings and EdDSA update channel
About/licence surface and notices in catalogs

Depends on MacDown 2 → MostlyText: brand and identity crossover; Mac integration and personalisation; File, settings and native hardening.

Issue 18 Issue 53 Issue 148Plan reference E17-software

Final repository cutoverStill required

Freeze/tag exact release commit, mirror full history to Joncallim/mostlytext
Verify identical release SHA/tag, CI/builds and repository-only proof commit
Preserve provenance and archive old development repository

Product-input changes after mirror reopen artifact verification.

Depends on Close all release-required debt.

Issue 158Plan reference cutover

Website, proof and launch readinessStill required

Download-first canonical site with requirements, docs, privacy, licence/lineage and support
Real release-build screenshots and concise open/edit/preview/Quick Look/export demo
Small external beta and one feedback route before broad amplification
Verify install/download/update paths, known issues and concise launch notes

Launch material will use real release-build evidence.

Depends on Final signed candidate and compliance; MacDown 2 → MostlyText: brand and identity crossover.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference launch-surface

Official distribution and supportStill required

Open-source MIT code with affordable paid official binaries
Direct DRM-free distribution and a Mac App Store direction
One-time purchase direction, without a subscription, account or activation
A clear support route for official builds

Distribution timing and channel compatibility still need to be reconciled. The testing alpha is source-only; no purchase or signed app download is available.

Depends on MacDown 2 → MostlyText: brand and identity crossover.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference commercial-direction

A verified release

1 of 7 merged

Build foundations, migration, updates, signed candidates, final evidence and the public release.

The full chapter

Project foundationsMerged

Swift/SwiftUI modular project, strict concurrency, CI, linting

Implemented in the development code. Final release verification is tracked in #115.

Issue 1Plan reference E00

Software and UI stabilisation gateStill required

Close required implemented behaviour and product corrections; retain exact baseline
Fresh post-E23 orthogonal review and no release-relevant P0/P1/P2

Depends on Mac integration and personalisation; HTML preview and export safety; Contributions, anchors and math correctness; File, settings and native hardening; Release-side software before UI freeze.

Issue 115 Issue 183Plan reference S

Private candidate 1 and native verificationStill required

Sign/notarise private verification binary
Native UI, VoiceOver, file/recovery, export, technical content, themes, Finder/Quick Look
Clean install, state migration and signed update rehearsal

A private verification build is a step toward release, not a public download.

Depends on Software and UI stabilisation gate.

Issue 115 Issue 18 Issue 88Plan reference V1

Corresponding-source publicationStill required

Immutable source/patch/license archives and digests
Anonymous retrieval and exact URLs embedded in notices before final binary

This step publishes corresponding source archives only; it does not publish the application.

Depends on MacDown 2 → MostlyText: brand and identity crossover.

Issue 148Plan reference sources

Final signed candidate and complianceStill required

Build final frozen artifact with locked dependencies
Developer ID/hardened runtime/notarisation/stapling and DMG checks
LC-01 notices; LC-02 Graphviz; LC-03 D2; LC-04 parser provenance; LC-05 lock; LC-06 themes; LC-07 SBOM; LC-08 licence UI; LC-09 source offer; LC-10 MIT lineage
Repeat every artifact-/locale-sensitive native observation on the exact candidate

Depends on Final localisation and string freeze; Corresponding-source publication.

Issue 18 Issue 148 Issue 115Plan reference RC2

Close all release-required debtStill required

All required evidence complete, exact artifact hashes linked; no blocked/unverified residual rows

Follows the 9 October two-candidate sequence, which supersedes the earlier ordering.

Depends on Final signed candidate and compliance.

Issue 115Plan reference gate115

Public macOS 1.0Still required

Publish the same verified release files
Versioned GitHub Release/DMG and downloads verified; appcast last
Accurate public claims, installation/migration/update instructions

No date is promised for stable 1.0. The source-only v0.1.0-alpha.1 testing prerelease is available; it does not complete the 1.0 release requirements.

Depends on Final repository cutover.

Issue 18Plan reference release

Features are only part of “ready”

After the features, a release still has to be proved. These happen in order:

Finish features and stabilise the app
Verify a private signed candidate on a Mac
Finish localisation and freeze the interface
Build the final candidate with source and licence evidence
Repeat the checks on those exact release files
Close the release requirements and move the repository
Publish the approved, verified release

Read the release sequence

After 1.0 1.0.x to 1.10, and later ideas

Version numbers mark the intended order of chapters, not dates or paid upgrades. Scope is provisional, and 1.5 onwards is exploratory and may change with evidence and demand.

Make everyday work better

1.0.x to 1.4

Reliability, linked source and preview, tables, importing and careful rendered editing. Planned directions; the detail is still provisional.

1.0.xTrust itPlanned

Make the launch boringly reliable.

Crash, save/recovery and security fixes
Install, updates, signing and compatibility
Support-led corrections before new architecture

Depends on Public macOS 1.0.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.0.xMore about 1.0.x

1.1Keep your placePlanned

Raw and Rendered stay together.

Toggleable Line Lock with stable source anchors
Active-line/document modes and one-/two-way following
Paired highlights and click/caret navigation
Free linked scrolling after mapping proof

Depends on Trust it.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.1More about 1.1

1.2Shape the structurePlanned

Tables stop feeling like pipe syntax.

Table-aware keyboard navigation
Add, remove and reorder rows/columns
Rectangular copy/paste and spreadsheet conversion
Explicit formatting, coherent undo, no unrelated normalization

Depends on Keep your place.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.2More about 1.2

1.3Bring it inPlanned

Turn clipboard and drag/drop content into clean local documents.

New from Clipboard with Markdown detection and plain-text escape
Paste/drag images into collision-safe local assets
Reviewable HTML/rich-text to Markdown
Copy As Rich Text/HTML

Depends on Shape the structure.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.3More about 1.3

1.4Edit it naturallyPlanned

Edit the common case from either side.

Rendered paragraph and heading editing
Basic formatting, links and task toggles where mapping is safe
Shared undo/dirty state and minimal source patches
Raw-only fallback for ambiguous edits

Depends on Keep your place; Shape the structure.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.4More about 1.4

Richer ways to work

1.5 to 1.10

Broader editing, table views, history, workspaces, links and publishing. Each chapter depends on the earlier ones proving themselves.

1.5Edit more of itExploring

Broaden Rendered editing without hiding or normalizing source.

Lists and quotes
Code and tables where safe
Broader selection/caret mapping
Expand only after 1.4 proves fidelity

Depends on Edit it naturally.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.5More about 1.5

1.6See it differentlyExploring

Text underneath; the representation that fits the job.

CSV/TSV Raw ↔ Table
Cell, row/column operations and rectangular paste
Non-destructive view sorting/filtering and virtualization
Extract only the shared representation boundary proved by real formats

Depends on Edit it naturally; Edit more of it.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.6More about 1.6

1.7Know what changedExploring

Review and recover without becoming a source-control client.

Local save-boundary history
Compare current text with saves/snapshots
Restore or copy from history; changed-line gutter
Reuse diff for conflicts with bounded local retention

Depends on Edit it naturally.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.7More about 1.7

1.8Work across foldersExploring

One workspace, ordinary files.

Named multi-root workspaces
Quick Open and search across roots
Workspace recent state and moved/unavailable roots
No required vault or proprietary storage

Depends on See it differently.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.8More about 1.8

1.9Follow the connectionsIf there’s demand

Smarter links, still just files.

Relative-link and heading completion/navigation
Broken-link detection
Optional wikilinks only with demand
Backlinks limited to already indexed files; no graph/vault/task model

Depends on Work across folders.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.9More about 1.9

1.10Publish beautifullyLonger term

Write in text. Publish like a real document.

Publication Profiles and true Print Layout
Typography, page geometry, headers/footers and generated numbering
Visual and declarative profile editing; same profile in preview/HTML/PDF
Portable Style Packages and gallery only after local model maturity

Depends on Edit it naturally; See it differently.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference 1.10More about 1.10

Let real workflows lead

No version yet

Longer-term themes, other representations and possibilities that wait for demand. No versions assigned.

Theme System RefreshLonger term

Separate app chrome, Raw syntax, Rendered/Table appearance and publication styles
Visual editor plus readable theme source where round-trip is deterministic
Stable portable themes, accessibility and safe existing-theme migration
Community sharing only after the local theme model matures

Depends on See it differently.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference theme-refresh

Other source-backed representationsUndecided

JSON tree/table editing
YAML/TOML property views
Log/delimited column view
Source-mapped diagram interactions and front-matter metadata

Each representation must justify a useful, concrete workflow before it is committed.

Depends on See it differently.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference later-adapters

iPhone / iPad explorationIf there’s demand

Identify reusable engines only against a real iPad target
UIKit/SwiftUI document/editor shell and TextKit host
Preview, math, diagrams, themes and source navigation
iPad files/workspaces, multiwindow, keyboard and touch
iPad-specific accessibility, performance and release proof

Deferred until after macOS 1.0, then subject to demand. No assigned version; Mac editing remains the priority.

Depends on Public macOS 1.0.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference ipad

Demand-led possibilitiesUndecided

Optional local AI/semantic search
Plugin marketplace only if repeated demand justifies support cost
DOCX only after deterministic mapping from publication styles

Subject to demand; no committed scope. External CLI interoperability does not imply built-in AI or headless export.

Depends on Public macOS 1.0.

Product direction, October 2026Plan reference demand-watchlist

Deferred or undecided

No version yet

Same-document split editing is deferred. Extension approaches need evaluating before any commitment.

Same-document split editingDeferred

Shared content with independent layout/viewport ownership

Explicit legitimate post-1.0 feature; no schedule or epic commitment.

Depends on Public macOS 1.0.

Issue 112Plan reference split

Evaluate JavaScriptCore extensionsUndecided

Sandboxed derived-content contributions and diagnostics
No filesystem/network/process or AppKit access; bounded time/output
Decide manifests, discovery, trust, conflicts and enablement UI

Design document only. No loader, manifest format or public API is implemented; in-process NSBundle loading is excluded.

Depends on Public macOS 1.0.

Source planPlan reference jsc

Evaluate out-of-process extensionsUndecided

ExtensionKit only if real demand justifies it

Depends on Public macOS 1.0.

Source planPlan reference extensionkit

Outside 1.0, with no commitment for later

These are explicitly excluded from 1.0. Listing them here does not turn them into a promise.

LSP/semantic IDE features, terminal, Git UI, debugger/build system, AI sidebar
Generic plugin/theme marketplace or remote theme gallery
Minimap, code folding, hex editor, log tail, SSH/SFTP, global keybinding editor, Unicode inspector
Full TextMate/VS Code snippet grammar
Generic source-file Quick Look, Spotlight, Share/Services/Finder Sync extensions
More diagram languages or new Markdown syntax
ePub and hosted rendering are not committed; DOCX is only a later conditional publication candidate.
Windows and Linux remain uncommitted.

What the status labels mean

Merged: Merged development capability, still subject to release proof
Being built: Implementation or hardening underway; open issue/PR
Still required: Required pre-1.0 work or verification
Deferred: Explicitly outside 1.0; not a promised release/date
Undecided: Evaluation or decision required
Planned: Accepted outcome direction; detailed release scope not committed
Exploring: Revalidate after earlier releases prove the architecture
Longer term: Ambitious later idea; not implementation-ready
If there’s demand: Proceed only with demonstrated demand and capacity

Development evidence and sources

This is a dated snapshot. Open pull requests and accepted issues are not release proof, and newer release-sequence and closure records take precedence where older summaries disagree.

Source baseline a2fe530dcc05, 15 October 2026.

Source documents

Open development changes at the snapshot

Pull request 477: Apply app theme colors to Graphviz diagrams open, not merged
Pull request 476: Apply app theme colors to Mermaid diagrams open, not merged
Pull request 475: Strengthen outline navigation focus acceptance (#88) open, not merged
Pull request 474: Make folder-search reveal lifecycle-safe open, not merged
Pull request 473: Bound TextFilter fixture ownership and PID readiness open, not merged
Pull request 472: H5 step 1: keystroke stall measurements; background reparse not shippable (evidence) open, not merged
Pull request 462: docs: architecture for safe syntax-highlighting edits (#459) open, not merged

Every open issue at the snapshot (22)

To 1.0 After 1.0 To 1.0 After 1.0 Back to MostlyText