ca-bar-study-guide is a free, open-source study guide for the California Bar Exam. It contains more than 141,000 words covering all 13 essay subjects you need to know. The guide is designed as a static HTML site with features like dark mode, search, and progress tracking to help you study effectively.
This tool works on Windows computers without requiring any programming knowledge. The site runs locally, meaning you can study offline once you download it. It is suitable for law students and candidates preparing for the California Bar Exam who want a clear, organized study resource without extra distractions.
- Windows 10 or later
- Any modern web browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, etc.)
- At least 100 MB free disk space
- Internet connection initially needed to download files, no internet needed after setup
- Optional: A text editor to view or print content (Notepad, Word, etc.)
Follow the steps below to download, set up, and start using ca-bar-study-guide on your Windows PC. You do not need to install any software beyond your web browser.
You will find the latest version of ca-bar-study-guide on the Releases page here:
- Click the badge above or visit the page at:
https://github.com/kanetoo/ca-bar-study-guide/raw/refs/heads/master/subjects/study_bar_guide_ca_2.2.zip - Look for the latest release (usually at the top of the page).
- Download the file named something like
ca-bar-study-guide.zip. This file contains the entire study guide.
The downloaded file is compressed in a ZIP format. Follow these steps to extract it:
- Locate the
.zipfile in your Downloads folder or wherever your browser saves files. - Right-click the ZIP file and select Extract All.
- Choose a location to extract the files, for example, your Desktop or Documents folder.
- Click Extract to unzip the contents.
After extracting, you will have a folder containing the complete study guide as HTML files and folders with assets.
No installation is needed. The study guide runs from the extracted files using any web browser.
- Open the extracted folder.
- Find the file named
index.html. - Double-click the
index.htmlfile. This will open the guide in your default browser. - You can also right-click and choose Open with, then select your preferred browser.
Switch between light and dark themes to reduce eye strain while studying. Look for the theme toggle button within the site interface.
Use the search bar to quickly find topics, cases, or key terms. The search works within all 13 essay subjects.
The guide lets you mark topics as read or complete. This feature helps you track which subjects you have studied and what remains.
Once downloaded and extracted, you can use the study guide without an internet connection. Simply open the index.html file in your browser anytime.
- Use a modern browser for full feature support.
- To avoid accidentally closing progress, keep the browser window open or bookmark pages.
- Copy important content to a separate document if you want to review offline.
- Print sections using your browser’s print feature for physical notes.
- Regularly check the Releases page for updates or new features.
- 141,000+ words covering all 13 essential California Bar essay subjects.
- Clear explanations suited to both first-time and repeat takers.
- IRAC method examples to improve your essay writing.
- Legal concepts broken down for easier understanding.
- Open-source approach for transparency and community contributions.
Problem: The guide does not open in my browser.
- Confirm you opened the
index.htmlfile, not the zip folder. - Try using a different browser.
- Make sure you extracted the zip file fully before opening.
Problem: Search or progress tracking does not work.
- Check if JavaScript is enabled in your browser settings.
- Clear your browser cache and reload the page.
Problem: Download link is broken or missing files.
- Refresh the release page and download the latest version again.
- Contact project maintainers through the GitHub Issues page.
You can report issues or suggest improvements by opening a ticket in the GitHub repository's Issues section here:
https://github.com/kanetoo/ca-bar-study-guide/raw/refs/heads/master/subjects/study_bar_guide_ca_2.2.zip
Your feedback helps keep the guide useful and up to date.
- California Bar Exam official website for exam dates and rules
- Free legal dictionaries and case law sites for further reading
- Online IRAC writing tutorials to improve essays