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Install

textli is a Python package; the editor itself is built on Qt (PySide6), which is installed automatically.

uv tool install textli-editor

pipx install textli-editor

pip install textli-editor

Python 3.12 or newer is required.

textli-editor?

The distribution publishes as textli-editor — plain textli is too close to an existing PyPI name. Everywhere else it's just textli: the command is textli, the import is import textli.

The CLI

textli notes.md                     # open a file reading (created on first save)
textli notes.md#design-decisions    # open and jump to a heading
textli -w notes.md                  # start in the editable write view
textli notes.md --pdf               # write notes.pdf and exit, no window
textli notes.md --pdf out/paper.pdf # ... or to a path you name
  • The #fragment is a Markdown heading slug, exactly as in a Markdown link.
  • File-backed editing autosaves while you work; Esc closes the session, ⇧Esc discards pending changes.
  • --pdf exports the typeset reading page — charts, diagrams and math included — without opening a window, so a draft becomes a shareable paper from a script or a Makefile. Paper is never themed: the page comes out on the light palette whatever theme you read in.
  • Font size and content-column width adjustments persist across sessions.