Why Markpad exists, the design decisions behind it, and what it is built with.
Markpad started with three everyday frustrations. Each tab exists to solve one of them — and it all works offline, with no account required. A daily task list (Today) and in-context translation came later, for the same reason.
Problem
Developer Alex retypes the same review comment dozens of times a week. A full note app is too heavy for a quick paste, and a dedicated text expander is one more subscription.
Solution
Save it once with a short alias. In any text box, type #alias and press Ctrl+Shift+K — the full text appears.
Problem
Researcher Bình runs into "LoRA" for the fourth time and still can't recall the definition. A dictionary lookup is gone the moment the tab closes; a flashcard app is overkill for saving one term.
Solution
Select the word → right-click → Add to Vocabulary. Your own definition, saved — and brought back for review before you forget it.
Problem
PM Chi researches 20 competitor sites. Two weeks later, she's forgotten the insight she had. Bookmarks only save the URL — not the thought.
Solution
Notes are pinned to the site itself. Revisit the page and the note is right there — you save the insight, not just the link.
Every window below is the real extension, captured from the current build.




Warm paper background, near-black text (never pure black), quiet borders. Blue marks what you can act on — selection and focus; the brand yellow is kept for the logo and highlights. Light and dark follow the same palette.
Chrome — nav, tabs, borders — recedes; content comes forward. Hierarchy is built with size and weight, never color.
Rounded corners and multi-layer soft shadows instead of one hard drop-shadow — cards and toasts feel gently lifted, never harsh.
Motion only where it explains something, and never in the way of typing. A tool you open fifty times a day should feel instant, not decorative.
Chosen in the first week and never revisited — one less decision to make on every release.
Markpad is made by thanhtrung.ep, an independent developer, under T-ep Studio. Questions or feedback? support@t-epstudio.com