Files and tabs

Use the file tree and tabs to keep every part of a writing project in one workspace. You manage files on disk in the file tree and keep several files open at once in tabs. Changes you make here also affect the files in the workspace folder.

Work inside one folder

The folder passed to docwriter is the workspace root. Choose a folder that contains the files for the writing project. The file tree and preview tools stay inside this folder.

Create and organize files

Use the file tree controls to create a file or folder. A file starts empty. Use the context menu to rename or delete an item, and drag files or folders to move them.

The file controls are beside Files. Right-click an item to rename or delete it.

You can also drag files from the desktop into the file tree or tab bar. Use this option when source material already exists outside the workspace. When you import a file, DocWriter copies it without converting it, so the file keeps its original format.

Use tabs

Click a file to open it as a tab. Your tab order and active tab remain after you restart DocWriter. Closing a tab keeps the file on disk.

Use the tab context menu to rename the file, copy the workspace path, or delete the file. Double click a tab to rename it. Press Enter to save the name or Escape to cancel.

A badge on a tab means the file has pending agent work or an unresolved agent comment. Use the badges to find files that still need your attention. Stale edit proposals do not count toward the badge.

Markdown, plain text, LaTeX, JSON, YAML, and source files open as plain source tabs. Markdown receives visual layers. LaTeX related extensions remain plain source without Markdown rendering.

Internal files

You can see the .docwriter folder because it holds your saved DocWriter state and hook settings. Do not edit docwriter.db while DocWriter is running.

DocWriter hides large implementation folders such as .git, node_modules, .svelte-kit, and build.

Deleted files

When you delete a file in DocWriter, you also remove its comments, pending reviews, and saved AI authorship markers. Deleting a file outside DocWriter removes the matching tab after you reload.