ColumnPad

ColumnPad is a Windows writing app for drafting notes, plans, prompts, checklists, and structured text in clean side-by-side columns. It is built for people who want an offline writing surface that keeps ideas separated, readable, recoverable, and easy to export.

Download ColumnPad

Get the latest Windows app from the ColumnPad Releases page.

Latest download:

• ColumnPadStudio-v2.2.4-win-x64.exe

ColumnPad is currently shipped as a portable single-file Windows app. Download the .exe, place it somewhere you want to keep it, and open it like a normal desktop app.

You do not need Visual Studio, Git, or the .NET SDK to use the released app.

Note: ColumnPad is not code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may warn the first time you open it. Only download builds from this repository.

Screenshot

What ColumnPad Helps With

• Drafting notes across several columns without losing structure.
• Keeping separate workspace tabs for different projects or writing sessions.
• Planning prompts, release notes, checklists, comparisons, and app ideas.
• Opening and saving clean .txt and .md documents.
• Saving full ColumnPad workspaces so columns, titles, settings, images, and content reopen together.
• Building repeatable planning flows with the built-in Workflow Builder.

Main Features

• Multi-column writing with clean resize behavior.
• Workspace tabs for separate writing sessions.
• Single-text mode and column mode switching.
• Clean .txt and .md open, save, and export.
• Native .columnpad.json workspace save/load.
• Multi-workspace session save/load.
• Auto-recovery and crash restore.
• Line numbers, word wrap, spell check, proofing-language selection, and lined-paper mode.
• Default, light, and dark theme modes with preference saving.
• Bullet/checklist paste helpers and checklist gutter support.
• Column image attachments that save with native ColumnPad layouts.
• Built-in Workflow Builder with starter templates, node colours, JSON workflow import/export, and readable workflow .txt/.md exports.

Current Release

ColumnPad v2.2.4 focuses on final workflow cleanup and release polish:

• Cleaner Workflow Builder file actions with one grouped Export... menu.
• Workflow Builder now behaves as an independent app window when minimized.
• Workflow imports, exports, readable workflow notes, and starter templates are better structured internally.
• Workflow starter templates and export wiring now have stronger smoke-test coverage.
• The right-side Workflow Builder inspector now aligns properly at the top of the panel.

Full notes: docs/releases/v2.2.4.md

User Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11.
• No account required.
• No internet required after download.
• No .NET SDK required for the released EXE.

Project Notes

This repository contains the source code, tests, release notes, screenshots, and maintenance docs for ColumnPad.

• src/ColumnPadStudio/ - WPF app shell, UI, services, resources, and Workflow Builder.
• src/ColumnPadStudio.Domain/ - reusable text, list, and workspace rules.
• tests/ - smoke and domain checks.
• docs/ - release notes, structure notes, screenshots, workflow maps, and QA checklists.
• tools/ - helper scripts used during app maintenance.

More structure detail: docs/REPOSITORY_STRUCTURE.md

Development and release decisions follow the ColumnPad app-building standard: docs/APP_BUILDING_STANDARD.md

Packaging Notes

• Current releases ship as a portable single .exe.
• The app is not code-signed yet.
• A full installer, Start menu shortcuts, uninstall support, and automatic updates can be added later.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.