Download HTML Help

Free download of HTML Help available.

HTML Help is the name of a software help authoring technology, initially developed by Microsoft in late 1990's as Windows Help (WinHelp) replacement. In particular, HTML Help refers to HTML Help Workshop (HHW, hhw.exe in %ProgramFiles%\HTML Help Workshop), which is the main application of a toolkit developed and distributed by Microsoft for authoring HTML Help content. HTML Help Workshop allows application help authors to create HTML-based help pages for their software and compile them using the proprietary Microsoft Compiled HTML Help (CHM) file format.

Compiled HTML Help files (.chm) use LZX compression and serve as containers for HTML and related resource files. They can be opened natively on all versions of Microsoft Windows, with additional support for this file format offered by many document readers or viewers. Besides the actual CHM compiler and decompiler, HTML Help Workshop includes such tools as HTML Help Image Editor for manipulating simple bitmap graphics, HTML Help API bindings, and basic HTML reference. HTML Help 1.4 (SDK included) is the most current version recommended by Microsoft for use by software authors, until a newer help system becomes available. HTML Help binaries and documentation are available for downloading from the Microsoft Development Network (MSDN) site.

The HTML Help executable (hh.exe, at C:\Windows by default) distributed with all versions of Microsoft Windows provides the support layer for HTML Help files (.chm) with no user interface of its own and can be run via command line only.

File formats: .CHM, .HHP, .HHK