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Offline Documentation Browser

Zeal is a simple offline documentation browser inspired by Dash. Access 200+ API documentation sets instantly, without an internet connection.

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What is Zeal?

Zeal is an offline documentation browser for software developers. It provides instant, offline access to documentation for 200+ programming languages, frameworks, and tools. Inspired by Dash for macOS, Zeal brings powerful documentation browsing to Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Installation

Download and install Zeal on your platform

Quick Start

Get up and running in minutes

User Guide

Learn how to use Zeal effectively

API Reference

Explore the C++ API documentation

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Key Features

Offline Access

Browse documentation with zero internet dependency. All docsets are stored locally for instant access.

200+ Documentation Sets

Support for 200+ documentation sets (docsets) compatible with Dash, covering most popular languages and frameworks.

Fast Search

Full-text search with fuzzy matching support. Find what you need in milliseconds.

Tabbed Interface

Browse multiple documentation pages simultaneously with a tabbed interface.

Global Shortcuts

Access Zeal from anywhere with customizable global keyboard shortcuts.

IDE Integration

Protocol handlers (dash://, dash-plugin://) enable seamless IDE integration.

Dark Mode

Built-in dark mode with automatic theme detection for comfortable reading.

Cross-Platform

Built with Qt for native performance on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

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How It Works

Zeal uses docsets — compressed documentation archives that contain HTML documentation, search indexes, and metadata. These docsets are compatible with the Dash format, giving you access to a vast ecosystem of pre-built documentation sets.
1

Download Zeal

Install Zeal on your operating system from the official downloads page or package manager.
2

Download Docsets

Open Zeal and navigate to Tools → Docsets. Select the documentation sets you want (Python, JavaScript, C++, etc.) and download them.
3

Search and Browse

Use the search bar to find documentation instantly. Press the global shortcut to access Zeal from anywhere.

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Quick Example

Search for documentation across multiple docsets: 
# General search
python:pprint

# Search specific docsets
java:BaseDAO

# Search multiple docsets
python,django:string
You can also launch Zeal with a query from the command line: 
zeal python:pprint

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Platform Support

Zeal is available on all major desktop platforms:
  • Windows — Installer and portable versions available
  • Linux — Available via package managers (APT, Flatpak, AppImage)
  • macOS — Homebrew and direct downloads
Zeal requires Qt 5.15.2 or higher and uses Qt WebEngine for rendering documentation.

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Architecture

Zeal is built with modern C++ and Qt, organized into modular components:
  • Core — Application lifecycle, settings, and HTTP server
  • Registry — Docset management and search indexing
  • Browser — WebEngine-based documentation viewer
  • UI — Main window, dialogs, and sidebar components
Learn more in the Architecture Overview.

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Open Source

Zeal is free and open source software licensed under GPLv3. Contributions are welcome!

Contribute

Learn how to contribute to Zeal

Build from Source

Compile Zeal on your platform

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Community and Support

GitHub Issues

Report bugs and request features

Discussions

Ask questions and share ideas

IRC Channel

Chat on #zealdocs (Libera Chat)
Follow @zealdocs on Twitter for updates, or reach out via email at [email protected].

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