Core Features

Markdown, PDF, Office documents, and diagrams in one native environment.

A viewer-first workspace for reading technical documents across formats.

Open local files and HTTP(S) URLs in tabs, with consistent controls for document pages, presentation slides, and spreadsheet sheets.

  • 01

    PDF / DOCX / XLSX / PPTX

  • 02

    Page, slide, and sheet controls

  • 03

    Safer native viewing

Core Philosophy

Core controls that keep cross-format document review moving

Read Markdown and HTML, navigate PDF and Office documents, render diagrams, and move through the workspace in one continuous flow.

outcomes

Feature outcomes

Split view speeds verification

Keep source and rendered output together so review decisions happen faster.

Diagrams stay in the same reading flow

Mermaid (including ZenUML), PlantUML, and Draw.io do not force context switching to other tools.

Workspace context stays intact

Move across related docs without losing architecture discussion continuity.

diagram reality

Diagram setup reality

RendererRequirementOperational note
MermaidNo extra setupIncludes ZenUML sequence diagrams
PlantUMLJava requiredAllow plantuml.jar fetch in app
Draw.ioNo extra setupRendered in normal document flow

search flow

Search and reading flow

A practical path from finding a file to landing on the exact evidence line.

1. Filename search

Find candidate documents quickly across the workspace tree.

2. Full-text search

Filter by exact terms and narrow down to relevant passages.

3. Heading jump

Jump directly to the right section using structural anchors.

4. Match highlight

Land with visible highlights so the target context is immediately clear.

export use cases

Export in real workflows

  • Attach rendered docs to review comments.
  • Share PNG evidence with non-KatanA stakeholders.
  • Include exported visuals in reports and status updates.

Stay focused on reading, whatever the format

Bring specifications, design files, spreadsheets, and presentations into one workspace instead of splitting review across applications.

Fast and lightweight workspace

Prioritizing responsive performance, it delivers a smooth experience that doesn't interrupt your thoughts even when opening large documents.

Native PDF and Office document viewing

Open local or HTTP(S) PDF, Word (DOCX), Excel (XLSX), and PowerPoint (PPTX) documents in tabs. Navigate PDF and Word pages, PowerPoint slides, and Excel sheets and cells with format-aware controls.

Native Diagram Support

Native support for Mermaid (including ZenUML), PlantUML, and Draw.io. Architecture diagrams are seamlessly rendered in the same context as text.

Native .drawio File Preview

In addition to Markdown, open .drawio files directly in KatanA for instant previewing. Verify architecture diagrams quickly without launching a dedicated editor.

Cross-Workspace Navigation

Just open the project root to access documents from the file tree. Move smoothly between related specifications and design docs.

Built for daily engineering work

Going beyond a simple viewer to support your daily engineering output.

High-Fidelity Export

Export entire documents as high-resolution PNG/JPG images, in addition to HTML and PDF. Beautifully share outcomes with non-engineering stakeholders.

Safer Office previews

Office macros and embedded scripts are not executed. When external content is blocked, KatanA reports it instead of fetching it silently.

Integrated App Updates

Features an advanced continuous improvement cycle as a desktop app, including changelog views and built-in update detection.

Localized UI

Ships with native multilingual UI support, including English and Japanese, blending naturally into the linguistic environment of teams worldwide.

Markdown Linter & Diff Review

Automatically detects Markdown formatting errors and lets you verify changes side-by-side in a Diff Review before applying them. Unify formatting safely and easily.

Intuitive File Management

Organize your workspace naturally by dragging and dropping files and folders in the explorer, along with comprehensive context menu operations.

Upcoming Features

This roadmap focuses on unreleased areas that will extend the review workflow next.

AI-assisted document generation

Handle additions to existing docs, new Markdown generation, and template-driven writing from the same workflow.

Multilingual review assistance

Review translations and wording differences while preserving the context visible on screen.

Diagram creation assistance

Connect the flow of reading Mermaid (including ZenUML), PlantUML, and .drawio files to AI-assisted diagram generation and updates.