mdBook is a utility to create modern online books from Markdown files.
Publisher’s description
What is mdBook?
mdBook by The Rust Programming Language is open-source Windows software. It is written in Rust.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.5.4, released on July 6, 2026. The version history goes back to November 25, 2024: 11 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 6.8 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (rust-lang/mdBook) has 22,238 stars. On Windows it registers 1 file type, including .md.
Project description on GitHub: “Create book from markdown files. Like Gitbook but implemented in Rust”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 6.8 a year)
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: mdBook is an open-source Windows tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is mdBook safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
8A6B2421AA522DE06D746871D2B8FFF9C8D71773467E310A4516D2566E7F2DE4· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 11 versions ›11 versions over 2 years · about 6.8 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5.4Latest | July 6, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.5.3 | May 19, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.5.2 | December 11, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.5.1 | November 20, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.5.0 | November 17, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.5.0-beta.2 | November 8, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.5.0-beta.1 | October 26, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.4.52 | July 14, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Rustlang.mdBook -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- The Rust Programming Language
- Licence
- MPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/rust-lang/mdBook
- Written in
- Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.5.4
- Released
- July 6, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- December 27, 2024
- Versions listed
- 11
- Updates / year
- 6.8
- GitHub stars
- 22,238
- GitHub forks
- 1,908
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Rustlang.mdBook
File types it opens (1)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is mdBook free?
Yes. mdBook is open-source software under the MPL-2.0 licence.
Is mdBook safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install mdBook with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does mdBook run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of mdBook?
The versions page lists all 11 versions with links to their official installer files, back to November 25, 2024.
Can I use mdBook without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.