Chunkpad

A desktop application for parsing documents (PDF, DOCX, PPTX), chunking them into RAG-optimized segments, and exporting them in multiple formats. Built with Electron for cross-platform support.

Features

Document Processing

• Multi-format Support: Parse PDF, DOCX, and PPTX files
• Intelligent Parsing: Preserves document structure, headings, and metadata
• Page/Slide Tracking: Maintains page numbers (PDF) and slide numbers (PPTX) in chunk metadata

Chunking Strategies

• Fixed Size: Token-based chunking with configurable size and overlap (default)
• Heading-Aware: Groups content under headings, preserving document hierarchy
• Paragraph-Aware: Recursive splitting (paragraph → sentence → token) maintaining paragraph coherence
• Sliding Window: Overlapping chunks with configurable windows for maximum context preservation
• Per-File Configuration: Each document can use its own chunking strategy and settings

Editing & Management

• Rich Text Editor: TipTap-powered markdown editor with formatting tools
• Metadata Management: Document-level and chunk-level metadata with YAML front matter
• Drag-and-Drop: Reorder chunks with intuitive interface
• Real-time Token Counting: Live token counts for each chunk

Export Options

• Multiple Formats: JSON, Markdown, or Plain Text
• Export Modes: Single combined file or multiple individual files
• Clean Markdown: HTML-to-Markdown conversion with proper formatting
• RAG-Ready: Includes strategy metadata, section paths, and source information

Desktop Features

• Native File Dialogs: System file pickers for opening and saving
• File Associations: Double-click .docx, .pptx, .pdf, or .chunkpad files to open
• Project Persistence: Save and load entire workspace state
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Full keyboard support (see Help menu)

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js v18 or higher
• npm or yarn

Local Development

1. Clone and install

   git clone <YOUR_GIT_URL>
   cd chunkpad
   npm install
   

2. Run Electron app

   npm run electron:dev
   

3. Build for production

   npm run electron:dist
   

   Distributables will be in the release/ directory.

Web Version (Optional)

npm run dev

Navigate to http://localhost:8080 (or the port shown in terminal).

Usage

1. Load Documents: Open PDF, DOCX, or PPTX files via File menu or drag-and-drop
2. Configure Chunking: Use the toolbar below the document title to select a chunking strategy and adjust settings
3. Edit Chunks: Click on chunks to edit content, titles, and metadata
4. Export: Use the Export button to save chunks in your preferred format

Chunking Strategies Guide

• Fixed Size: Best for general purpose, unstructured documents
• Heading-Aware: Best for structured documents with clear headings (manuals, reports, technical docs)
• Paragraph-Aware: Best for narrative content (blog posts, articles, stories)
• Sliding Window: Best for technical documents where context spanning boundaries is critical

See docs/user-chunking-modes.md for detailed strategy documentation.

Technology Stack

• Frontend: React 18 + TypeScript
• Desktop: Electron
• Build: Vite
• UI: shadcn/ui (Radix UI) + Tailwind CSS
• Editor: TipTap (ProseMirror)
• Parsing: pdfjs-dist, mammoth, jszip
• Token Counting: tiktoken
• Markdown: Turndown

Documentation

• Architecture - System architecture and design
• Chunking Architecture - Multi-strategy chunking system
• User Guide - Chunking strategies guide
• Technical Review - Implementation review

Troubleshooting

PDF Parsing Issues

• Ensure PDF contains selectable text (not scanned images)
• Check DevTools console for errors (View > Toggle Developer Tools)

Large Files

• Files over 50MB will show a warning
• Processing may take 30-60 seconds for large documents
• Progress indicators show during processing

Build Issues

# Clear and reinstall
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm install

# Clear caches
rm -rf .vite dist dist-electron
npm run electron:dev

License

Open source and available for use and modification.