# awl

> A calm, opinionated plain-text editor for prose and light code. Native (Rust + wgpu + winit + glyphon) and an experimental browser build from one core. One warm amber caret, fourteen curated theme worlds, WYSIWYG markdown, and no IDE machinery.

awl keeps its eye on the content and nothing in front of it: a no-path scratch buffer *is* the writing surface, reading as markdown from the first keystroke. Keybindings lead with native macOS ⌘ chords, with Emacs / `mg` underneath as a quiet, fully-working second layer — both fire. It is a personal tool: pre-release, audience of one, not chasing other users.

## Docs

- [README](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/README.md): what awl is, the in/out line, build & run, status, and font/license notes.
- [Philosophy](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/PHILOSOPHY.md): the root document — why awl is the way it is (simple / beautiful / fun as constraints; the one warm element; architecture as philosophy).
- [Design](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/DESIGN.md): the feel and the look — Swiss discipline plus game-juice, one living amber caret, figure/ground by value, the two type ladders (one ink × one size).
- [Scope](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/SCOPE.md): where the in/out line is drawn and who awl is for — minimal syntax highlighting in, IDE machinery (LSP, multi-cursor, symbol nav, project tree) out.
- [Themes](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/THEMES.md): the world contract — every measurable law a theme must satisfy, the ink-ladder / role-tint derivation, and the add-a-world process.
- [Worlds](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/WORLDS.md): the human reference for the fourteen theme worlds — each one's flavour, faces, and section-break ornament.

## Concepts

- [One warm element](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/DESIGN.md): the caret is the only living thing; the amber accent (`primary`) is the caret, and they are the same. Only the caret gets juice; everything else is figure/ground by value, never a second accent.
- [Syntax highlighting — Alabaster](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/SCOPE.md): a code buffer keeps everything in the default ink and distinguishes only four value-based roles — comment, string, constant, definition — never a rainbow, never amber.
- [WYSIWYG markdown](https://github.com/Frank-P-Lu/awl-next/blob/main/PHILOSOPHY.md): reveal-on-cursor — if the caret is on that line, show the actual markdown; otherwise show the styled preview.

## Try it

- [Editor (web build)](/editor): the experimental `wasm32` / WebGPU browser build — renders, types, styles markdown live, switches themes, and survives a reload. A demo, not a shipped product.

## License

- awl's code: GNU General Public License v3.0 (`GPL-3.0-only`). The name "awl" is a reserved trademark (forks must rename). Bundled fonts are under the SIL Open Font License 1.1.