Neon-Vision-Editor/README.md

Neon Vision Editor

A lightweight, modern editor focused on speed, readability, and automatic syntax highlighting.

Minimal by design: quick edits, fast file access, no IDE bloat.

h3p apps is a focused portal for product docs, setup guides, and release workflows: >h3p apps

Release Download: GitHub Releases

Status: active release
Latest release: v0.5.0 Platform target: macOS 26 (Tahoe) compatible with macOS Sequoia Apple Silicon: tested / Intel: not tested Last updated (README): 2026-03-07 for release line v0.5.0

Release Channels

Channel	Best for	Delivery
Stable	Direct notarized builds and fastest stable updates	GitHub Releases
Store	Apple-managed install/update flow	App Store
Beta	Early testing of upcoming changes	TestFlight

Download Metrics

Release Download + Clone Trend

Styled line chart shows per-release totals plus a scaled 14-day git clone volume bar.

Git clones (last 14 days): 1629.

Snapshot total downloads: 561 across releases.

Project Docs

• Release history: CHANGELOG.md
• Contributing guide: CONTRIBUTING.md
• Privacy: PRIVACY.md
• Security policy: SECURITY.md
• Release checklists: release/ — TestFlight & App Store preflight docs

What's New Since v0.4.33

• iPad toolbar keeps key actions visible more consistently (Settings, Search, Project Sidebar, Markdown Preview).
• iPad Markdown Preview now auto-prioritizes preview space by collapsing the project sidebar when needed.
• Settings polish on iOS/iPad: improved German localization coverage, centered tab headers, and cleaner card grouping.
• macOS top-left window controls are more stable during settings/tab transitions.

Who Is This For?

• Quick note takers who want a fast native editor without IDE overhead.
• Markdown-focused writers who need clean editing and quick preview on Apple devices.
• Developers editing scripts/config files who want syntax highlighting and fast file navigation.

Why This Instead of a Full IDE?

• Faster startup and lower UI overhead for quick edits.
• Focused surface: editor-first workflow without project-system bloat.
• Native Apple-platform behavior across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.

Download

Prebuilt binaries are available on GitHub Releases.

GitHub Releases (Stable)

Best for direct notarized builds and fastest access to new stable versions.

• Download: GitHub Releases
• Latest release: v0.5.0
• Channel: Stable
• Architecture: Apple Silicon (Intel not tested)

App Store

Best for users who prefer Apple-managed installs and updates.

• Download: Neon Vision Editor on the App Store
• Channel: Store

TestFlight (Beta)

Best for testing upcoming changes before they land in the stable channel.

• Join beta: TestFlight Invite
• Channel: Beta

Getting Started (30 Seconds)

1. Install using curl or Homebrew (below), or download the latest .zip/.dmg from Releases.
2. Move Neon Vision Editor.app to /Applications.
3. Launch the app.
4. Open a file with Cmd+O.
5. Use Cmd+P for Quick Open and Cmd+F for Find & Replace.
6. Toggle Vim mode with Cmd+Shift+V if needed.

Install

Quick install (curl)

Install the latest release directly:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/h3pdesign/Neon-Vision-Editor/main/scripts/install.sh | sh

Install without admin password prompts (user-local app folder):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/h3pdesign/Neon-Vision-Editor/main/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- --appdir "$HOME/Applications"

Homebrew

brew tap h3pdesign/tap
brew install --cask neon-vision-editor

Tap repository: h3pdesign/homebrew-tap

If Homebrew asks for an admin password, it is usually because casks install into /Applications. Use this to avoid that:

brew install --cask --appdir="$HOME/Applications" neon-vision-editor

Gatekeeper (macOS 26 Tahoe)

If macOS blocks first launch:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security.
3. In Security, find the blocked app message.
4. Click Open Anyway.
5. Confirm the dialog.

Features

Neon Vision Editor keeps the surface minimal, but covers the workflows used most often while writing, coding, and reviewing files.

Area	Highlights	macOS	iOS	iPadOS
Core Experience	Fast loading for regular and large text files; tabbed editing; broad syntax highlighting; native Swift/AppKit feel; multi-window workflows	Full	Full	Full
Editing & Productivity	Inline code completion (Tab accept); Regex Find/Replace (incl. Replace All); optional Vim mode; one-click language templates; curated built-in themes	Full	Full	Full
Markdown	Native Markdown preview templates (Default, Docs, Article, Compact); improved toolbar access to preview workflows	Full	No	Full
Projects & Files	Project sidebar + Quick Open (Cmd+P); recursive folder tree; last-session project restore; cross-platform Save As…; direct handling for .plist / .sh / text files	Full	Full	Full
Settings & Support	Grouped settings with improved localization and tab structure; optional StoreKit 2 support purchase flow	Full	Full	Full
Architecture & Reliability	Flux/command-pattern command flow; Swift concurrency hardening; macOS AI Activity Log diagnostics; privacy-first/no telemetry	Full	Partial	Partial

Feature checklist (explicit):

• Vim support (optional normal/insert workflow).
• Regex Find/Replace with Replace All.
• Inline code completion with Tab-to-accept.
• Native Markdown preview templates (macOS + iPadOS).
• Quick Open (Cmd+P) and project sidebar navigation.
• Recursive project tree rendering for nested folders.
• Cross-platform Save As… support.
• Bracket helper on all platforms (macOS toolbar helper, iOS/iPad keyboard bar).
• Starter templates for common languages.
• Built-in theme collection (Dracula, One Dark Pro, Nord, Tokyo Night, Gruvbox, Neon Glow).
• Session restore including previously opened project folder.
• Optional Support purchase flow in Settings (StoreKit 2).
• AI Activity Log diagnostics window on macOS.

Architecture At A Glance

flowchart LR
  UI["SwiftUI/AppKit UI"] --> VM["EditorViewModel"]
  VM --> CMD["Tab Commands / Flux-style mutations"]
  VM --> IO["File I/O + Load/Sanitize Pipeline"]
  VM --> HL["Syntax Highlight + Editor Runtime Limits"]
  VM --> UPD["Update Manager (GitHub Releases)"]
  IO --> STORE["Tabs + Session State"]
  CMD --> STORE

Platform Matrix

Availability legend: Full = complete support, Partial = available with platform constraints, No = currently unavailable.

Capability	macOS	iOS	iPadOS	Notes
Fast text editing + syntax highlighting	Full	Full	Full	Optimized for regular and large files.
Markdown preview templates	Full	No	Full	Presets: Default, Docs, Article, Compact.
Project sidebar	Full	Full	Full	Folder tree + nested structure rendering.
Quick Open (Cmd+P)	Full	Partial	Full	iOS requires hardware keyboard for shortcut use.
Bracket helper	Full	Full	Full	macOS: toolbar helper, iOS/iPadOS: keyboard snippet bar.
Settings tabs + grouped cards	Full	Full	Full	Localized UI with grouped preference cards.

Trust & Reliability Signals

• Notarized release pipeline: release-notarized.yml
• Pre-release verification gate: pre-release-ci.yml
• Security scanning: CodeQL workflow
• Homebrew cask sync workflow: update-cask.yml

Screenshot Gallery Index

• macOS Editor Screenshot
• iPad Editor
• iPhone Editor Screenshot
• Source image index for docs: docs/images/README.md
• App Store gallery: Neon Vision Editor on App Store
• Latest release assets: GitHub Releases

1-Minute Demo Flow

1. Open a file and check syntax highlighting: NeonVisionEditorApp.png

2. Use Quick Open and jump between project files: GitHub Releases

3. Toggle Markdown Preview on iPad: docs/images/ipad-markdown-preview.png

4. Adjust settings/theme and continue editing: docs/images/iphone-editor-clean.png

macOS Editor Screenshot

iPad Editor

iPhone Editor Screenshot

Roadmap (Near Term)

• 0.5.0 milestone: quality + trust release (updater reliability, CSV safety, cross-platform polish, accessibility, release gating). Tracking: Milestone 0.5.0
• Updater diagnostics and support triage surface. Tracking: #24, #35
• CSV/large-file safety and table-mode path. Tracking: #25, #26
• iPad settings density and markdown preview parity polish. Tracking: #12, #13
• Session restore precision and navigation upgrades. Tracking: #34

Known Issues

• Open known issues (live filter): label:known-issue

Troubleshooting

1. App blocked on first launch: use Gatekeeper steps above in Privacy & Security.
2. Markdown preview not visible: ensure you are on macOS or iPadOS (not available on iPhone).
3. Shortcut not working on iOS: connect a hardware keyboard for shortcut-based flows like Cmd+P.
4. Sidebar/layout feels cramped on iPad: switch orientation or close side panels before preview.
5. Settings feel off after updates: quit/relaunch app and verify current release version in Settings.

Configuration

• Theme and appearance: Settings > Designs
• Editor behavior (font, line height, wrapping, snippets): Settings > Editor
• Startup/session behavior: Settings > Allgemein/General
• Support and purchase options: Settings > Mehr/More (platform-dependent)

FAQ

• Does Neon Vision Editor support Intel Macs?
  Intel is currently not fully validated.
• Can I use it offline?
  Yes for core editing; network is only needed for optional external services (for example selected AI providers).
• Do I need AI enabled to use the editor?
  No. Core editing, navigation, and preview features work without AI.
• Where are tokens stored?
  In Keychain via SecureTokenStore, not in UserDefaults.

Keyboard Shortcuts

All shortcuts use Cmd (⌘). iPad/iOS require a hardware keyboard.

File

Shortcut	Action	Platforms
Cmd+N	New Window	macOS
Cmd+T	New Tab	All
Cmd+O	Open File	All
Cmd+Shift+O	Open Folder	macOS
Cmd+S	Save	All
Cmd+Shift+S	Save As…	All
Cmd+W	Close Tab	macOS

Edit

Shortcut	Action	Platforms
Cmd+X	Cut	All
Cmd+C	Copy	All
Cmd+V	Paste	All
Cmd+A	Select All	All
Cmd+Z	Undo	All
Cmd+Shift+Z	Redo	All
Cmd+D	Add Next Match	macOS

View

Shortcut	Action	Platforms
Cmd+Option+S	Toggle Sidebar	All
Cmd+Shift+D	Brain Dump Mode	macOS

Find

Shortcut	Action	Platforms
Cmd+F	Find & Replace	All
Cmd+G	Find Next	macOS
Cmd+Shift+F	Find in Files	macOS

Editor

Shortcut	Action	Platforms
Cmd+P	Quick Open	macOS
Cmd+D	Add next match	macOS
Cmd+Shift+V	Toggle Vim Mode	macOS

Tools

Shortcut	Action	Platforms
Cmd+Shift+G	Suggest Code	macOS

Diag

Shortcut	Action	Platforms
Cmd+Shift+L	AI Activity Log	macOS
Cmd+Shift+U	Inspect Whitespace at Caret	macOS

Changelog

v0.5.0 (summary)

• Added updater staging hardening with retry/fallback behavior and staged-bundle integrity checks.
• Added explicit accessibility labels/hints for key toolbar actions and updater log/progress controls.
• Added a 0.5.0 quality roadmap milestone with focused issues for updater reliability, accessibility, and release gating.
• Improved CSV handling by enabling fast syntax profile earlier and for long-line CSV files to reduce freeze risk.
• Improved settings-window presentation on macOS by enforcing hidden title text in the titlebar.

v0.4.34 (summary)

• iPhone editor now shows a floating Liquid Glass status pill with live caret and word metrics.
• Added a searchable Language picker (Cmd+Shift+L) on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.
• Language picker behavior is now consistent: compact toolbar labels with full language names in selection lists.
• iOS/iPad settings cards were visually simplified by removing accent stripe lines across tabs.
• Wrapped-line numbering on iOS/iPad now uses sticky logical line numbers instead of repeating on every visual wrap row.

v0.4.33 (summary)

• Added performance instrumentation for startup first-paint/first-keystroke and file-open latency in debug builds.
• Added iPad hardware-keyboard shortcut bridging for New Tab, Open, Save, Find, Find in Files, and Command Palette.
• Added local runtime reliability monitoring with previous-run crash bucketing and main-thread stall watchdog logging in debug.
• Improved command palette behavior with fuzzy matching, command entries, and recent-selection ranking.
• Improved large-file responsiveness by forcing throttle mode during load/import and reevaluating after idle.

Full release history: CHANGELOG.md

Known Limitations

• Intel Macs are not fully validated.
• Vim support is intentionally basic (not full Vim emulation).
• iOS/iPad editor functionality is still more limited than macOS.

Privacy & Security

• Privacy policy: PRIVACY.md.
• API keys are stored in Keychain (SecureTokenStore), not UserDefaults.
• Network traffic uses HTTPS.
• No telemetry.
• External AI requests only occur when code completion is enabled and a provider is selected.
• Security policy and reporting details: SECURITY.md.

Release Integrity

• Tag: v0.5.0
• Tagged commit: 1c31306
• Verify local tag target:

git rev-parse --verify v0.5.0

• Verify downloaded artifact checksum locally:

shasum -a 256 <downloaded-file>

Release Policy

• Stable: tagged GitHub releases intended for daily use.
• Beta: TestFlight builds may include in-progress UX and platform polish.
• Cadence: fixes/polish can ship between minor tags, with summary notes mirrored in README and CHANGELOG.md.

Requirements

• macOS 26 (Tahoe)
• Xcode compatible with macOS 26 toolchain
• Apple Silicon recommended

Build from source

git clone https://github.com/h3pdesign/Neon-Vision-Editor.git
cd Neon-Vision-Editor
open "Neon Vision Editor.xcodeproj"

Contributing Quickstart

Contributor guide: CONTRIBUTING.md

git clone https://github.com/h3pdesign/Neon-Vision-Editor.git
cd Neon-Vision-Editor
xcodebuild -project "Neon Vision Editor.xcodeproj" -scheme "Neon Vision Editor" -destination 'platform=macOS,name=My Mac' build

Support & Feedback

• Questions and ideas: GitHub Discussions
• Known issues: label:known-issue
• Feature requests: label:enhancement

Git hooks

To auto-increment Xcode CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION on every commit:

scripts/install_git_hooks.sh

Support

If you want to support development:

• Patreon
• My site h3p.me

License

Neon Vision Editor is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE.