markdown-novel-viewer_skill

Overview

This skill runs a small HTTP server that renders markdown files into a calm, book-like reading experience. It serves single files and directory listings with a warm novel theme, dark mode, keyboard navigation, and automatic Mermaid diagram rendering. It is intended for distraction-free reading of long-form content, reports, documentation, or novels.

How this skill works

The server converts markdown to HTML, applies a novel-style template and theme, and serves assets over simple routes (/view, /browse, /assets, /file). It detects directory structure for plan navigation, auto-renders Mermaid code blocks into diagrams, and provides keyboard shortcuts and sidebar navigation for phase-based content. It can run in foreground or background, auto-open a browser, and bind to a specific host/port for remote access.

When to use it

• Preview long-form markdown such as novels, reports, or documentation
• Browse a folder of markdown files with a clean file listing and navigation
• Present markdown with embedded Mermaid diagrams and syntax-highlighted code
• Run a lightweight local server for distraction-free reading on any device
• Share access across a local network by binding to 0.0.0.0

Best practices

• Install required npm dependencies (marked, highlight.js, gray-matter) before running
• Use relative image paths so the server can serve local images via the /file route
• Bind to 0.0.0.0 and enable the network URL when you need device-to-device access
• Keep content width narrow (720px) for optimal reading; avoid very wide layouts
• Use plan directory structure for automatic phase navigation and previous/next controls

Example use cases

• Open a single README or long-form article for comfortable, book-like reading
• Run the server against a project folder to quickly browse documentation and notes
• Preview a novel draft locally with serif typography and warm theme before sharing
• Render and debug Mermaid diagrams inside markdown while viewing output in-context
• Run background mode on a headless machine and access the viewer from another device via the network URL