A project is one or more markdown files plus a render mode and a brand kit. The Upload page is where new projects come into the app.
The Upload page also accepts finished .html pages. Those become an HTML project, which is hosted exactly as uploaded with no render mode, brand kit, or editor. This guide covers markdown; see Host a finished HTML page for the other kind.
You need to be signed in to upload.
The short version
- Open
/upload(the "Upload" link in the side nav). - Drop or pick one or more
.mdfiles. - Confirm the project name (or edit it).
- Pick a render mode and a brand kit.
- Click "Upload as project".
You land on the project detail page when the upload finishes.
Step by step
Pick your files
The Upload page accepts one file or many. Drop them on the drop zone or click "Choose files".
[Screenshot: the upload page with three markdown files queued in a list.]
Each file shows up in a list. You can:
- Remove a file from the queue with its "Remove" button.
- Edit its title and render mode individually.
If you queue multiple files, the first file becomes the project's "main" page; the rest sit as siblings in the file tree and can be linked from the main page.
Name your project
The "Project name" field auto-fills from the first file you queue. Override it if you like, for example "Q3 planning" instead of "q3-plans.md".
Adding a short Description is optional. It only shows up in the projects list, never on the published page.
Pick a render mode
The render mode controls the visual layout. Common modes:
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Prose | Long-form writing, decision memos. Reads like an article. |
| ListDashboard | Reference document with a navy header band and lookup tables. Bold identifier-shaped tokens (admin-config, CityOfMargate) render as monospace label badges. |
| TileDashboard | Grids of cards. Reads like a status board. |
| InfographicStages | A linear "before to after" or "step 1 to step N" story. |
| InfographicBeforeAfter | A two-column comparison. |
| ProjectHub | A landing page that links to other files in the project. |
You can switch render mode per file inside the project after upload. The mode you pick here only sets the default.
Pick a brand kit
The "Brand kit" dropdown lists:
- Default, the standard cream-and-ember look that ships with the app.
- Aurora and Dashtxtastic, two built-in templates that demo different styles.
- Any kit from your other projects, if you have customised one and want to reuse it.
Pick the one you want this project to look like at first. You can change or further customise the kit later from the kit editor.
Submit
Click "Upload as project". The button is disabled until you have at least one file in the queue AND a non-empty project name.
When the upload finishes, the app redirects you to /projects/{your-new-project-id}. From there you can edit the markdown, switch render modes per file, or open the brand kit editor.
Troubleshooting
- Upload as project is disabled. Either the file queue is empty, or you cleared the project name. Add a file, type a name.
- A file is rejected. The app accepts markdown (
.md,.txt) and finished web pages (.html,.htm). PDFs, Word documents, and other formats will not upload. If your text is in another format, export it to markdown first. - "files must all be markdown or all be html". One project is one kind. Upload the
.mdfiles and the.htmlfiles as two separate projects. - The browser asks if you want to leave the page mid-upload. That is a safety prompt. If you have unsaved changes in the queue (a long edit to the project name, for example), they will be lost. Finish the upload first.