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Privacy Policy

Markside is a local Markdown viewer. Everyday file use stays in your browser unless you choose a network feature, such as a Readability Check or an encrypted Hosted Snapshot for sharing.

What Markside does

  • Reads Markdown files from your local file system (file:// URLs) and renders them in the browser
  • Stores your opened folder handle and recently accessed file handles in your browser's local IndexedDB so you don't have to re-authorize on every visit
  • Stores aggregate action counts, active-day dates, and prompt state in local extension storage to schedule an optional Chrome Web Store review request
  • Can create a Link Snapshot whose complete Markdown content is compressed into the URL fragment after you confirm sharing
  • Can create a Hosted Snapshot that encrypts a saved Markdown copy in your browser before uploading ciphertext for sharing
  • Can check the readability of one selected Markdown section when you explicitly request it

What Markside does not do

  • Does not upload local file contents, paths, or folder handles during ordinary local use; a Readability Check is an explicit exception for the selected section's Markdown
  • Cannot read the Markdown in a Hosted Snapshot because the decryption key remains in the URL fragment
  • Does not send usage analytics or telemetry to Markside or third parties
  • Does not track browsing history
  • Does not use cookies
  • Does not use the Share Link fragment for analytics or server-side processing

Readability Check

When you select Check readability or Recheck beside a heading, Markside sends the Markdown source of that section to Markside's service, which forwards it to Vercel AI Gateway for scoring. This can include text under child headings, code blocks, and unsaved draft changes. Other sections and your local file path are not included. Merely opening a file does not send it for scoring.

If you select Find problem sentences after a check, Markside sends the same section again, and the service asks the same provider which of its sentences are behind low scores. The service returns those sentences with a short reason for each.

The service returns seven numeric scores. Markside stores the scores and any flagged sentences locally with the file's identity and section fingerprint. Markside does not intentionally store the submitted section on its service; its hosting provider and AI Gateway may process request data and retain operational logs under their own policies.

Share Links

Link Snapshots

A Link Snapshot places the Markdown and file basename after the # in the URL. Browsers do not send URL fragments in normal HTTP requests, so Markside's server receives the request for the viewer page but not the link content. Anyone who obtains the complete link can decode and read it. Link Snapshots are not encrypted.

A Link Snapshot is a frozen copy taken at creation time, not a live view. It does not update if the source file later changes.

The viewer does not use analytics. Markside's hosting provider may retain ordinary request logs for the /s page, such as IP address and user agent, according to its infrastructure policies. HTTPS images embedded in shared Markdown are requested directly from their original hosts, which can observe those image requests.

Link Snapshots are an experimental Beta for successfully saved Markdown. Unsaved changes must be written to the local file before Markside creates a link. Local images, relative document links, and wikilinks remain Markdown text but are unavailable in the rendered viewer. Links work best under approximately 4,000 characters; very long links may not paste cleanly into every chat, email, or browser address bar, and a document too large for a browser to decode cannot be shared as a link at all.

A Link Snapshot has no encryption, password, access control, expiry, or revocation. Experimental links have no permanent compatibility promise.

Hosted Snapshots

A Hosted Snapshot makes a shorter Share Link. Before upload, Markside encrypts the saved Markdown copy in your browser with AES-256-GCM. The server stores ciphertext only. The decryption key stays after the # in the URL, so browsers do not send it to Markside.

Anyone with the complete Hosted Snapshot link can decrypt and read it. Choose a 7, 30, or 90 day expiry when creating the link. After expiry, the link stops working. Hosted Snapshots cannot be revoked early.

Treat either kind of Share Link like the document itself. Complete URLs may remain in browser or synced history, chat or email history, clipboard managers, screenshots, and recipient-controlled systems.

Data stored locally

The following data is stored in your browser's IndexedDB or local extension storage, on your device only:

  • The FileSystemDirectoryHandle of the last folder you opened (used to restore the file tree)
  • FileSystemFileHandle references for recently accessed files (used to restore write access)
  • Display and editing preferences
  • Active Reviews that you have not cleared
  • Readability scores and section fingerprints for checks you have run
  • Aggregate action counts, action categories, active-day dates, first-use time, and prompt state used only to schedule the optional Store review request

This locally stored data does not leave your device as a collection. A section you explicitly submit for Readability Check is sent as described above.

Permissions

  • file:// access — Required to read local Markdown files. Must be enabled manually via "Allow access to file URLs" in extension settings.

Contact

For feedback, questions, or concerns, email hello@zhuge.app.