What is MacDown and what are its top alternatives?
MacDown is a free and open-source Markdown editor for macOS that allows users to write and edit Markdown documents with live preview. Key features include syntax highlighting, custom CSS styles, and support for exporting to multiple file formats. However, MacDown has limitations such as the lack of collaborative editing and advanced customization options.
- Typora: Typora is a minimalistic Markdown editor that offers live preview, distraction-free mode, and customizable themes. It supports images, tables, and mathematical equations. Pros: Beautiful and intuitive interface, seamless live preview. Cons: Paid software after free trial.
- Boostnote: Boostnote is a note-taking app for programmers that supports Markdown and snippet management. It offers code block highlighting, tag support, and synchronization across devices. Pros: Cross-platform, organized workspace. Cons: Limited formatting options.
- Obsidian: Obsidian is a Markdown editor designed for knowledge management and note-taking. It features bidirectional linking, graph visualization, and advanced search capabilities. Pros: Powerful features for organizing notes, robust customization options. Cons: Steep learning curve.
- Mark Text: Mark Text is a free Markdown editor with live preview, custom themes, and support for multiple platforms. It offers distraction-free mode, typewriter scrolling, and various export options. Pros: Simple and clean interface, open-source. Cons: Limited plugin support.
- Ghostwriter: Ghostwriter is a cross-platform Markdown editor with focus mode, typewriter scrolling, and spell check. It includes a document outline, live preview, and word count feature. Pros: Lightweight and customizable, easy to use. Cons: Limited plugin ecosystem.
- Dillinger: Dillinger is a cloud-based Markdown editor with real-time collaboration and multiple export options. It supports Dropbox integration, code snippets, and PDF generation. Pros: Collaborative editing, sync across devices. Cons: Requires internet connection.
- StackEdit: StackEdit is an in-browser Markdown editor with cloud storage, offline support, and customizable themes. It offers a distraction-free mode, spell check, and HTML export. Pros: No installation required, seamless integration with Google Drive and Dropbox. Cons: Limited advanced features.
- Zettlr: Zettlr is a Markdown editor for academic writing with citation management, note linking, and PDF export. It features tag support, table of contents generation, and support for various file formats. Pros: Designed for researchers and writers, extensive customization options. Cons: Complex interface for beginners.
- Notion: Notion is an all-in-one workspace that supports Markdown for note-taking, project management, and knowledge sharing. It includes task lists, databases, and team collaboration features. Pros: Versatile platform for different workflows, flexible layout options. Cons: Subscription-based pricing for advanced features.
- Joplin: Joplin is a cross-platform note-taking app with Markdown support, encryption, and synchronization capabilities. It offers tagging, search functionality, and web clipper integration. Pros: Secure data syncing, extensive features for organizing notes. Cons: Interface may be overwhelming for some users.
Top Alternatives to MacDown
- Mou
When current available Markdown editors are almost all for general writers, Mou is different: It's for web developers. Syntax highlighting, live preview, sync scroll, fullscreen mode, auto save, powerful actions, auto pair, custom themes and CSS, HTML and PDF export, enhanced CJK support. ...
- Typora
It gives you a seamless experience as both a reader and a writer. It removes the preview window, mode switcher, syntax symbols of markdown source code, and all other unnecessary distractions. Replace them with a real live preview feature to help you concentrate on the content itself. ...
- Atom
At GitHub, we're building the text editor we've always wanted. A tool you can customize to do anything, but also use productively on the first day without ever touching a config file. Atom is modern, approachable, and hackable to the core. We can't wait to see what you build with it. ...
- Caret
Better Markdown Editor for Mac / Windows / Linux
- Remarkable
Markdown parser done right. Fast and easy to extend. Supports the CommonMark spec + syntax extensions + sugar (URL autolinking, typographer). ...
- Marp
Marp is the simplest presentation writer with Markdown.
- Slidev
It is a web-based slides maker and presenter. It's designed for developers to focus on writing content in Markdown while also having the power of HTML and Vue components to deliver pixel-perfect layouts and designs with embedded interactive demos in your presentations. ...
- Markdoc
It is a Markdown-based document format and a framework for content publishing. It was designed internally at Stripe to meet the needs of our user-facing product documentation. It extends Markdown with a custom syntax for tags and annotations, providing a way to tailor content to individual users and introduce interactive elements. ...
MacDown alternatives & related posts
related Mou posts
related Typora posts
- Free529
- Open source449
- Modular design343
- Hackable321
- Beautiful UI316
- Github integration170
- Backed by github147
- Built with node.js119
- Web native113
- Community107
- Packages35
- Cross platform18
- Multicursor support5
- Nice UI5
- TypeScript editor5
- Snippets3
- Simple but powerful3
- Open source, lots of packages, and so configurable3
- cli start3
- Chrome Inspector works IN EDITOR3
- Awesome2
- Smart TypeScript code completion2
- Well documented2
- It's powerful2
- Code readability2
- works with GitLab1
- User friendly1
- full support1
- vim support1
- Split-Tab Layout1
- "Free", "Hackable", "Open Source", The Awesomness1
- Apm publish minor1
- Hackable and Open Source1
- Consistent UI on all platforms1
- Publish0
- Slow with large files19
- Slow startup7
- Most of the time packages are hard to find.2
- No longer maintained1
- Cannot Run code with F51
- Can be easily Modified1
related Atom posts
I liked Sublime Text for its speed, simplicity and keyboard shortcuts which synergize well when working on scripting languages like Ruby and JavaScript. I extended the editor with custom Python scripts that improved keyboard navigability such as autofocusing the sidebar when no files are open, or changing tab closing behavior.
But customization can only get you so far, and there were little things that I still had to use the mouse for, such as scrolling, repositioning lines on the screen, selecting the line number of a failing test stack trace from a separate plugin pane, etc. After 3 years of wearily moving my arm and hand to perform the same repetitive tasks, I decided to switch to Vim for 3 reasons:
- your fingers literally don’t ever need to leave the keyboard home row (I had to remap the escape key though)
- it is a reliable tool that has been around for more than 30 years and will still be around for the next 30 years
- I wanted to "look like a hacker" by doing everything inside my terminal and by becoming a better Unix citizen
The learning curve is very steep and it took me a year to master it, but investing time to be truly comfortable with my #TextEditor was more than worth it. To me, Vim comes close to being the perfect editor and I probably won’t need to switch ever again. It feels good to ignore new editors that come out every few years, like Atom and Visual Studio Code.
We use Visual Studio Code because it allows us to easily and quickly integrate with Git, much like Sublime Merge ,but it is integrated into the IDE. Another cool part about VS Code is the ability collaborate with each other with Visual Studio Live Share which allows our whole team to get more done together. It brings the convenience of the Google Suite to programming, offering something that works more smoothly than anything found on Atom or Sublime Text