---
description: Full feature breakdown with examples
---

# Features

BBS-MD is a terminal-based markdown vault reader built in Rust. Here's everything it can do.

## Markdown Rendering

BBS-MD renders a full subset of GitHub-Flavored Markdown with retro CGA-themed styling:

- **Headers** (H1-H6) with distinct colors and decorators
- **Bold**, *italic*, and ~~strikethrough~~ text
- `Inline code` with syntax highlighting
- Fenced code blocks with language-aware highlighting
- Ordered and unordered lists with nesting
- Blockquotes with yellow pipe borders
- Tables with full box-drawing grid borders
- Horizontal rules
- Image placeholders

### Code Block Example

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("Welcome to BBS-MD!");
    let vault = Vault::new("./vault");
    vault.browse();
}
```

### Table Example

| Feature        | Status    | Since   |
|----------------|-----------|---------|
| Markdown       | Complete  | Phase 2 |
| Wiki-Links     | Complete  | Phase 3 |
| ANSI Splash    | Complete  | Phase 4 |
| Live Reload    | Complete  | Phase 4 |

## Wiki-Link Navigation

Connect your documents with `[[Wiki Links]]`. BBS-MD resolves them at render time:

- `[[Page Name]]` — links to `page-name.md` (case-insensitive, hyphenated)
- `[[Directory]]` — special magic link to the vault directory listing
- Broken links are shown in ~~red strikethrough~~ so you know what needs fixing

See the [[Navigation Guide]] for the full key binding reference.

## ANSI Art Splash Screen

Place a `splash.txt` file in your vault root containing ANSI escape codes. BBS-MD parses it with `ansi-to-tui` and displays it as a colorful header above your `index.md` content. If the file is missing, the index renders normally with no error.

## Live Filesystem Watching

Edit your markdown files in any editor. BBS-MD watches for changes and auto-refreshes the currently displayed page within about a second. Rapid saves are debounced — you won't see flickering.

- Watches the parent directory of the current file
- Survives atomic saves (vim, neovim style)
- Non-fatal: if the watcher fails, the app still works without live reload

## Directory Listing

Navigate to `[[Directory]]` to see a tree view of every document in your vault. Directories appear in **yellow bold**, files as cyan bracketed links. Tab-cycle through entries and press Enter to open any document.

## Safe Login Shell Mode

BBS-MD can be set as a user's login shell for SSH access. In this mode:

- `q` key is disabled (only double Ctrl+C exits)
- Panic hook restores the terminal before crashing
- Signal handlers (SIGHUP, SIGTERM) clean up gracefully
- The terminal is always left in a usable state

Back to [[index|home]].