text-server

README

text-server

A self-hosted, web-based document editor with rich text editing and file management capabilities, packaged as a single executable.

Overview

Like code-server but delivering a WYSIWYG editor and file explorer only.

Why? I needed a local-first document editing tool in a single executable to allow me create, edit and manage my documents on the go. Basically privacy-focused by self hosting the tool or using it locally on a local area network.

⚠ work in progress

Features

• WYSIWYG Editor: Rich text editing with Lake.js
• File Explorer: Tree view for easy navigation and file management
• Cross-Platform: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Single Binary: Simple installation with no dependencies
• Self-Hosted: Run entirely on your own machine

Live Demo

You can explore the project in action via the live demo link below:

🚀 Live Demo

This demo showcases the core features and user interface of the application in real time. Use it to test functionality, review performance, or evaluate usability before integrating or contributing. While in use, your work will be saved locally in the browser's storage.

Usage

Command Line Options

Flag	Default	Description
--host	127.0.0.1	Host to bind the server to
--port	4321	Port to run the server on
--root	Current directory	Root directory for file operations

Starting the Server

Before starting the server, a password is required for user access control.

Setting the password:

1. With .env file

   PASSWORD=your_password
   

   Then run the server with cli options

2. Environment variable

   $ PASSWORD=your_password text-server
   

Configuring the server:

# start with default settings
text-server

# specify a custom port
text-server --port 8080

# specify a custom root directory
text-server --root ~/docs

# specify host/IP
text-server --host 0.0.0.0

# full example
text-server --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080 --root ~/docs

# with PASSWORD variable
PASSWORD=your_password text-server --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080 --root ~/docs 

Once started, open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:8080 (or your custom hostname and port).

Installation

Download Binary

Download the latest release for your platform from the Releases page.

Building from Source

Prerequisites:

• Go 1.24+
• Node.js v22+ and pnpm V10+

# clone repository
git clone https://github.com/henryhale/text-server.git

cd text-editor

# build the binary
make build

# the binary will be available in ./bin/text-server

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a pull request.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Acknowledgements

• Lake.js for the WYSIWYG editor
• Vue.js, Reka UI and Lucide Icons for the frontend
• Go and Gin for the backend

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

© 2025-present Henry Hale