Storage

MDLeaf stores everything in your browser’s Origin Private File System, a private storage area of the MDLeaf site on your device. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.

Each document is a folder with its Markdown (document.md), its images (assets/) and a small doc.json with its title, profile and settings. Your profiles, themes and settings are stored next to them.

Saving

There is no save button: MDLeaf saves half a second after you stop typing, and whenever you switch documents, hide the window or close it. macOS: ⌘S/, Windows and Linux: Ctrl+S saves immediately. If saving fails, MDLeaf retries and shows Save failed — Retry in the top bar.

One window at a time

A document can be edited in one window or tab at a time. Opening it a second time shows it read-only with This document is open in another MDLeaf window. [Take over]. Taking over saves the other window’s work and moves editing to this one.

Space and persistence

The Library footer shows how much space MDLeaf uses. MDLeaf asks the browser to keep its storage persistent so it is not cleared when the disk gets full; installing MDLeaf as an app makes this more likely to be granted. Check it in Settings → About.

Browsers delete site storage when you clear browsing data for the site. Keep backups with Export .mdl, or link documents to folders in Chromium.

Import and export single Markdown files

• Import .md creates a document from each file. The title is the first # heading, or the file name. Images referenced from the file are not imported; their references show as missing.
• Export .md saves only the Markdown. If the document has images, MDLeaf reminds you to use .mdl instead.