Parchments

Parchments is a premium, offline-first Bible study and sermon composition workspace. Built for theologians, pastors, and scriptural researchers, it combines a high-performance rich text editor with deep Bible intelligence and structural editing tools.

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📥 Download & Install (Beta)

To get started with the Parchments Beta, download the installer for your operating system below:

[!TIP] First-time Installation Help:

Windows (SmartScreen Warning)

Since the app is in Beta and not yet signed with a paid developer certificate, Windows may show a "Protected your PC" box. 1. Click "More Info". 2. Click "Run Anyway".

macOS (Security Warning)

1. Open the `.dmg` and drag Parchments to your Applications folder. 2. **Right-Click** the Parchments icon in Applications and select **Open**. 3. If prompted, click **Open** again. (You can also go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click "Open Anyway" at the bottom).

Android (Installation Guidelines)

Since the APK is downloaded directly from GitHub Releases: 1. Open the downloaded `.apk` file on your device. 2. Enable "Allow from this source" when prompted by your browser or file manager. 3. Confirm and install the application.

iOS (Safari Home Screen Installation)

To install the Web PWA on your home screen: 1. Open Safari and navigate to your hosted app (e.g. `https://parchments.vercel.app`). 2. Tap the **Share** button in Safari's action bar. 3. Select **Add to Home Screen** from the actions list.

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✨ Core Features

• Parallel Bible Reader: Side-by-side study of up to 4 translations with synced verse scrolling.
• Immersive Lectio Reading Plans: Set up canonical or customized reading plans in a gorgeous split-column Zen Workspace on desktop or swipe-sliding panels on mobile.
• Interlinear & Lexicon: Access original Greek/Hebrew lemmas and Strong's Concordance definitions directly in your study flow.
• Smart Outline: Reshuffle your sermon or study notes with Drag-to-Reorder and isolate sections with Focus Mode.
• Research Bench: Persistently pin scriptures and cross-references across sessions.
• Study Spaces: Real-time folder-level collaboration with Host-Dictatorship sync for pastoral teams.
• Voice-to-Text: High-accuracy real-time transcription for capturing oral reflections and sermon ideas.
• Zero-Server Local Wi-Fi Sync: Real-time collaboration over local Wi-Fi and mobile hotspots powered by an embedded Rust WebSocket server (tokio-tungstenite) with QR code pairing, host knock-to-join security, and Co-Editor vs. Presentation Follower modes.
• Markdown & Frontmatter Properties: Interactive document properties card (Speaker, Series, Date, Scripture, Tags) with seamless bidirectional HTML↔Markdown conversion and loose .md file opening.
• Discontinuous Scripture Parsing: Type compound references like 1 Cor 14:4, 14-15 or chained chapters Gen 6:13; 7:4 with unified tooltip cards and Logos-style omission dividers.
• Local-First & Multi-Workspace Architecture: Your data stays on your machine. Access physical local files directly on Desktop & Mobile (Capacitor native wrappers write documents straight to your device Documents/Parchments folder), and fall back cleanly to IndexedDB virtual folders on browser PWAs.
• Unified Switcher Dropdown: Easily swap between physical local directories and sandboxed browser databases with a glassmorphic switcher at the top of the sidebar.

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🛠️ Technology Stack

• Frontend: React 19 + TypeScript + Vite
• Routing: React Router v7
• State Management: Zustand (+ Persist)
• Editor Framework: TipTap (ProseMirror)
• Styling: Tailwind CSS + Custom Design System
• Animations: Framer Motion
• Storage: IndexedDB (Local-First)

🚀 Getting Started

1. Clone the Repo:

   git clone https://github.com/patrickudo2004/parchments.git
   cd parchments
   

2. Install Dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Start Development Server:

   npm run dev
   

4. Download Bible Data: Open the app, go to Settings > Downloads, and fetch the translations you need.

📱 Mobile Development & Compilation

To build, synchronize, or test mobile platform structures locally:

1. Build and Sync Assets:

   npm run build
   npx cap sync
   

2. Run on Connected Android Device:

   npx cap run android
   

3. Run on iOS Simulator/Device (macOS Only):

   npx cap run ios
   

📖 Documentation

• User Guide: How to use the app.
• Project Roadmap: Current status and future phases.
• Technical Architecture: Deep dive into the system design.

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Parchments is currently in Phase 7: Public Launch & Marketing. Verified stable release: v0.2.1.

🆕 What's New in v0.2.1 (Pulpit Controls, Tablet Responsiveness & Mobile Files)

• Prominent Front-Facing Pulpit Mode: Quick, 1-click access to Pulpit Presentation Mode directly from the primary toolbar section without horizontal sliding.
• Responsive Tablet & Desktop Toolbar Wrapping: Toolbar wraps into clean rows on viewports under 1200px so all editing tools remain accessible.
• Responsive Tablet Pulpit Controls: Dedicated subheader control bar automatically adapts on screens < 1024px without overlapping or clipping.
• Full Mobile Folder & File Explorer: Unified local file system and IndexedDB browser sandbox handling ensures notes inside folders always appear properly on mobile devices.
• Zero-Server Local Wi-Fi Sync: Real-time multi-device note sharing between Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS on local Wi-Fi or mobile hotspots with QR code pairing and knock-to-join approval.
• Desktop Window Dimensions: Standard 1280x800 desktop window dimensions with anti-overlap protection.

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🛡️ License

Parchments is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License v3. This ensures that the application and its source code remain free forever, protecting the rights of users and contributors.

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Check the Task Checklist for detailed progress.