Read vs Edit Mode

Learn when and how to use Read and Edit modes for the best experience.

---

What Are View Modes?

Every page has two modes:

✏️ Edit Mode (Default)

• Full editing capabilities
• All controls visible
• Autosave active
• Best for: Writing, editing, organizing content

👁️ Read Mode

• Clean, formatted display
• No editing controls
• Distraction-free reading
• Best for: Reviewing, presenting, reading

---

Switching Between Modes

Method 1: Toggle Button

1. Look for the toggle button at the top-right of the content area
2. Button shows:
   • "👁️ Switch to Read" when in Edit mode
   • "✏️ Switch to Edit" when in Read mode
3. Click to toggle

Method 2: Keyboard Shortcut

Press: Cmd + Shift + E (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift + E (Windows)

• Works from any mode
• Instant toggle
• Same as clicking the button

---

Edit Mode Deep Dive

What You Can Do

In Edit mode, you have full access to:

Content Editing:

• ✏️ Add, edit, delete blocks
• 🎨 Format text (bold, italic, etc.)
• 📋 Copy, paste, duplicate
• ↕️ Drag to reorder
• 🖼️ Upload images

Page Management:

• ✏️ Change title
• 🎨 Add icon/cover
• 🏷️ Add/remove tags
• ⭐ Favorite pages

Tools & Features:

• 💾 Autosave (every 2 seconds)
• ↩️ Undo/Redo
• / Slash menu
• ⌨️ Markdown shortcuts

Visual Appearance

Edit mode shows:

• Input fields with cursors
• Block toolbars and controls
• Drag handles (⋮⋮)
• Add block buttons (+)
• Save status indicator
• Undo/Redo buttons

When to Use Edit Mode

✅ Use Edit mode when:

• Creating new content
• Making changes to existing content
• Reorganizing blocks or structure
• Adding tags or changing metadata
• Working on a draft

---

Read Mode Deep Dive

What It Shows

Read mode displays:

Formatted Content:

• 📝 Clean typography
• 🎨 Proper heading hierarchy
• 📊 Formatted lists and quotes
• 💻 Syntax-highlighted code
• 🖼️ Full-size images

No Editing Tools:

• No input fields
• No toolbars or buttons
• No drag handles
• No "add block" buttons
• Just the content

Visual Appearance

Read mode shows:

• Beautiful, styled content
• Proper spacing and margins
• Professional typography
• Static, unchangeable display
• "No content yet" if page is empty

When to Use Read Mode

✅ Use Read mode when:

• Reading/reviewing content
• Presenting to others
• Avoiding accidental edits
• Focusing on content only
• Printing or exporting (future)

---

Feature Comparison

Feature	Edit Mode	Read Mode
View content	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Edit content	✅ Yes	❌ No
See formatting	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Add/delete blocks	✅ Yes	❌ No
Autosave	✅ Active	➖ N/A
Undo/Redo	✅ Yes	❌ No
Slash menu	✅ Yes	❌ No
Clean interface	⚠️ Cluttered	✅ Clean
Distraction-free	❌ No	✅ Yes

---

Mode Persistence

Your mode preference is saved per session:

How It Works

1. Choose a mode (Read or Edit)
2. Navigate to another page
3. Return later → Opens in the mode you selected
4. Works across pages → All pages use your preference

Storage

• Saved in browser localStorage
• Key: page-view-mode
• Values: 'read' or 'edit'
• Per browser/device (not synced)

Resetting

To reset to default (Edit mode):

• Switch to Edit mode on any page
• Your preference updates automatically

---

Common Workflows

Writing Workflow

1. Start in Edit mode (default)
2. Write and format content
3. Switch to Read mode to review
4. Toggle back to Edit if changes needed
5. Repeat until satisfied

Review Workflow

1. Open page (starts in your preferred mode)
2. Switch to Read mode if needed
3. Read through content
4. Quick toggle to Edit if you spot errors
5. Make changes
6. Toggle back to Read to continue review

Presentation Workflow

1. Switch to Read mode before sharing screen
2. Navigate between pages as needed
3. Clean, professional appearance
4. No accidental edits during demo
5. Switch back to Edit when done

---

Tips & Best Practices

💡 General Tips

1. Default to Edit: Leave in Edit mode for daily work
2. Switch to Read: Use Read mode for reviews/presentations
3. Learn the shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+E is faster than clicking
4. Mode persists: You don't need to toggle on every page
5. No data loss: Switching modes doesn't affect autosave

⚡ Power User Tips

1. Quick review: Edit → Save → Read → Review → Edit
2. Presentation prep: Switch to Read before screen sharing
3. Focus mode: Read mode = fewer distractions
4. Print preview: Use Read mode to see final layout
5. Muscle memory: Train yourself to use keyboard shortcut

---

Troubleshooting

Mode not switching?

Check:

• Button appears at top-right of content
• You're not in browser's Reader mode
• JavaScript is enabled
• Page has fully loaded

Solution:

• Try keyboard shortcut instead
• Refresh the page
• Check browser console for errors

Mode not persisting?

Check:

• localStorage is enabled in browser
• Not in incognito/private mode
• Browser allows cookies

Solution:

• Check browser privacy settings
• Allow localStorage for the site
• Try a different browser

Can't edit in Read mode?

This is expected behavior! Read mode is intentionally read-only.

Solution: Switch to Edit mode first

---

Future Enhancements

Features coming soon:

• 📄 PDF export from Read mode
• 🖨️ Print optimization
• 🔗 Public sharing (always Read mode)
• 👥 Permission-based auto mode
• 📑 Table of contents in Read mode
• 🔍 Full-screen Read mode

---

Related Guides:

• Understanding the Page Interface
• Working with Blocks
• Keyboard Shortcuts Reference