// writing · KDE/ghostwriter

ghostwriter

ghostwriter is an open-source writing project by KDE (KDE/ghostwriter on GitHub). It has 4,995 GitHub stars and 347 forks, is released under the GPL-3.0 license, and was last updated on GitHub on 3 October 2026.

Text editor for Markdown

★ 5.0k stars⑂ 347 forksGPL-3.0updated 2026-10

View on GitHub ↗Official site ↗

▦ visual — this project's README ships no embeddable screenshot,
so here's a placeholder. The guide below is complete regardless.

// project facts

Project facts

Repository: KDE/ghostwriter
GitHub stars: 4,995
Forks: 347
License: GPL-3.0
Last updated on GitHub: 3 October 2026
Category: Writing
Listing: Full install guide
Official site: Official site

// how it works

How it works

Choose your form
Novel, notes, docs site, or blog — each tool majors in one.
Write in peace
Distraction-free editors with themes that suit long sessions.
Organize
Chapters, tags, wikis, or versioned docs as the project grows.
Publish
Export to ebook, print, or deploy a docs site.

// features

Why people love it

Collaboration

Review and comment workflows for teams.

Self-hosted blogs

Own your publishing platform and your audience.

Version history

Never lose a draft; diff every change.

Publishing pipelines

Ebook, PDF, and static-site output built in.

AI assistance

Grammar, style, and drafting help on demand.

Long-form structure

Chapters, scenes, and outlines for book-length work.

// run it

Run it yourself

Step 1 — Clone the repo
Download the source and move into the project folder.
```
git clone https://github.com/KDE/ghostwriter.git
cd ghostwriter
```
Step 2 — Check the README
Every project documents its own setup; start with install requirements.
```
cat README.md | head -60
```
Step 3 — Run it
Follow the project's launch command — Docker, pip, npm, or a binary release.
```
# see README for the exact launch command
```

// use cases

What you can build

Write a novel with proper outlining.
Keep a plain-text knowledge base.
Publish documentation as a site.
Run a blog you fully own.

The Writing shelf also holds opengnothia — Is a privacy-focused desktop app that assists you explore your inner world. Readers working through the Writing shelf also stop at AngleCraft, AI skill that turns dry expertise into engaging content with 9 angle types.

// faq

Questions, answered

Who maintains ghostwriter?

It is an open-source project at KDE/ghostwriter with 347 forks. Check the repo's contributors and recent commits to see how active maintenance is.

Is ghostwriter free for commercial use?

GPL-3.0 — free to use, but derivative works must stay open.

What about AI writing help?

Grammar and style tools are mature; drafting assistants vary by model.

Is my writing private?

Local-first tools keep every word on your machine.

Can it replace Scrivener/Notion?

The most-starred other Writing projects in the LibreAI catalogue — the realistic shortlist if ghostwriter is not the right fit.

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Zettlr★ 13.8k
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md★ 13.4k
✍ WeChat Markdown Editor | 一款高度简洁的微信 Markdown 编辑器：支持 Markdown 语法、自定义主题样式、内容管理、多图床、AI 助手等特性
vnote★ 13.0k
A pleasant note-taking platform in native C++.
milkdown★ 12.0k
🍼 Plugin driven WYSIWYG markdown editor framework.

// more in writing

Get ghostwriter

Free and open — grab the source, star the repo, and start creating.

View on GitHub ↗← More Writing tools

ghostwriter

Project facts

How it works

Why people love it

Collaboration

Self-hosted blogs

Version history

Publishing pipelines

AI assistance

Long-form structure

Run it yourself

What you can build

Questions, answered

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