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1. Markdown Editor For Mac
2. Markdown Macro For Confluence

Markdown is a simple markup language which enables you to write neatly formatted text for use online and offline even with no knowledge of HTML. You can use asterisks, hyphens and brackets to quickly create italic type, headings and lists. However, it is not easy to Markdown per se on the internet. You need a program with a parser to first generate a more complex HTML document from this simple markup language. This can then be easily read by any browser and converted into the desired display format.

Are you new to Markdown? You will find everything you need to know about this markup language in our comprehensive Markdown guide.

Markdown is a plain text formatting syntax for web writers that is easy to read, easy to write and designed to be eventually converted to rich text while remaining independent from any application. Things to look for when choosing a Markdown editor include how it makes writing Markdown easier, how it previews rendered Markdown, how much customizability and options both in term of the editor as.

• Markdown is a simple text formatting language for all your writing needs; it is a way to format your text adding italic and bold text, headings, notes, images, and more, allowing you to.
• Typora 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. Instead, it provides a real live preview feature to help you concentrate on the content itself. Distractions Free Seamless Live Preview.
• These Mac Markdown editors let you write for the web more efficiently. Check out a variety of awesome free and paid options. Markdown is a lightweight markup language that makes it easy to format and present content for the web.
• Markdown editors for Windows, Mac and Linux Markdown is a simple markup languagewhich enables you to write neatly formatted text for use online and offline even with no knowledge of HTML. You can use asterisks, hyphens and brackets to quickly create italic type, headings and lists. However, it is not easy to Markdown per se on the internet.

There are a variety of programs on the market as well as dedicated online Markdown editors which allow you to work with this markup language directly in your browser. Here you will learn about the best Markdown editors available.

1. Online Markdown editors: the three best Markdown editors for use in browsers
2. Top five downloadable Markdown editors

Online Markdown editors: the three best Markdown editors for use in browsers

The following Markdown editors can be used directly in your browser without having to install anything beforehand. You can write in a text field on the website and then export the generated document.

Dillinger

The online Markdown editor Dillinger is open source and can be used without first needing to create an account. The website is divided into two parts. On the left, you write your Markdown text. You will then see the output on the right side as a formatted document where all the markup elements have been implemented. You also have the option of displaying the corresponding HTML source code.

You can export your work in HTML, PDF or Markdown format and save it on your computer. It is also possible to send your text via Dropbox, GitHub, Medium, Google Drive and One Drive. You can also import documents from these locations or choose to upload a Markdown or HTML document. Additional features include character and word counters as well as an autosave function which is made possible through the use of cookies.

This sleek Markdown editor is particularly well suited to users who rarely work with this markup language or want to try Markdown first.

Draft

The online Markdown editor Draft is a bit more sophisticated. To use this application, users will need to register first. You will then be able to work on documents using version control and as a team. Draft is primarily designed for professional users who want to work on larger projects in collaboration with others. Any changes made by other collaborators do not overwrite your master copy but are instead tracked as changes. In addition, there is an option for comments and discussion threads.

You can also link your Draft account to other applications such as WordPress, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Evernote, Twitter and Basecamp to name a few. In addition, you can select certain formatting from the menu to make your work even easier if you are not sure which markup elements you need. Another feature which should appeal to professional users is Draft’s large arsenal of analytics options relating to productivity.

Draft is primarily designed for professionals. Its collaboration features and accurate analytics functions are ideal for writers who have to create a large number of documents.

StackEdit

Like Dillinger, StackEdit can be used without creating an account. Its layout is also similar to Dillinger’s. The screen is divided into two areas, one for the text and the other to show the display. The first noticeable difference is in the header. This is where you will find buttons for formatting, similar to a WYSIWYG-style editor. Of course, these buttons are optional. Experienced Markdown users can still continue to use markup elements.

In addition, StackEdit differentiates itself by allowing users to work with the file explorer, so you can work on multiple documents once. This editor is also compatible with a variety of platforms such as Google, WordPress and GitHub which enables you to transfer your files to various locations and import them from there. Some features are only available when you are signed in with your Google Account. In addition to Markdown, StackEdit can also handle mathematical expressions (via LaTeX), UML diagrams, emojis and musical scores.

For an online Markdown editor, StackEdit features a surprisingly wide range of functions which can be used in the browser without creating an account.

Top five downloadable Markdown editors

Online solutions have their advantages. They are lightweight and are immediately ready for use. However, it may be more useful to have an installed program for regular work and large projects. The following three Markdown editors provide a wide range of functions and are usually available for different operating systems.

Typora

Typora is a Markdown editor for Windows, Linux and Mac. This software has a simple design and does not include a preview area. Instead, the Markdown formatting is immediately displayed in the text. In order to simplify writing text in Markdown, Typora offers an auto complete function similar to other code editors. For example, if you open a bracket, it will automatically add a closing bracket.

To ensure that each individual user’s experience with the program is as pleasant as possible, Typora offers a variety of themes to customize the editor’s appearance. Typora provides two modes which are designed to improve the user’s concentration: focus mode and typewriter mode. In focus mode, only the current line you are on is clearly visible while all the others are blurred. In typewriter mode, your current active line will always remain in the middle of the window. This prevents you from losing sight of what you are working on.

Typora differentiates itself through its clean design and concentration-enhancing functions. It is perfect for users who have to write a lot and want to be completely focused on their work.

WriteMonkey

WriteMonkey is a very popular Markdown editor for Windows. This program is all about using streamlined Markdown syntax and thus offers its users a less gimmicky experience. WriteMonkey has an extremely stripped-down graphical user interface and does not provide its users with guidance, but it does ensure that its users are not distracted from what is important (i.e. the actual text). This is why the program is in full-screen mode by default. It also does not have a preview function. WriteMonkey therefore primarily targets Markdown experts: everything is written using markup elements, there are no buttons to help with the design, and you can only see the result once you export the file.

One useful feature is its progress bar function. WriteMonkey does not just count words and characters. It also allows you to define goals. You can specify a certain number of words or set a time limit, and the software will tell you how much you have already done. You can extend the program with language packs and dictionaries to work better in your own local language or add typing sounds. The various sounds available should help you feel as comfortable as possible when writing. Additional extensions are available if you make a donation to the software’s developers. In the future, this software will also be available for Mac and Linux.

Absolute minimalism: WriteMonkey does not use any gimmicks and focuses completely on the text. This is why professional writers are also fans of this software.

Quiver

Quiver is a paid Markdown editor and is only for Mac. Quiver is designed for programmers who need to write documentation regularly. What makes this editor so exciting is that you can work directly with different markup languages. It lets you easily mix plain text, Markdown and LaTeX (in math mode) within one document. Quiver also includes a code editor with support for over 120 programming languages. A live preview window renders text formatted with Markdown as you type. In addition, the Markdown editor provides clear document navigation and a full-text search function so that you can even keep track of large projects. You can also assign tags to better organize your notes.

Quiver allows you to collaborate on a project with members of your team. It saves all your data in plain JSON files so you can access the information via other programs as well. If so desired, everything can be synced with Dropbox, iCloud and Google Drive. You can customize the program to meet your layout preferences using different themes. In addition, the developer has made an app for iOS. This app can only be used to view files. You cannot use it to edit them.

The Markdown editor Quiver will appeal mainly to Apple fans, especially due to its integration with the iOS app. Programmers will find everything they need to create documentation in this software notebook.

Write!

Write! is a Markdown editor for Linux, Mac and Windows. Unlike most of the other applications mentioned, Write! is not available free of charge. However, you also get a powerful, function-packed text editor. Write! directly converts Markdown, includes a spell checker which automatically recognizes the language being used and provides an adaptive auto complete function. In addition, it lets you write from right to left which is important for certain languages such as Arabic. Similar to WriteMonkey, it also lets you define goals so you can constantly monitor your progress. In focus mode, the document area which is not currently being worked on is slightly darkened to help improve your concentration.

Markdown syntax does not have to be entered manually. As with a WYSIWYG-style editor, formatting can also be changed using buttons and menu items. However, the most striking aspect of Write! is that it has its own cloud. Instead of using other providers such as Google or Apple to secure their documents online, the developers of Write! provide their own independent cloud service. This online storage space allows documents to be published and the link to be shared with others in just a single click. So, it is no surprise that the Markdown editor comes with a collaboration function.

In order to protect your privacy, the video will not load until you click on it.

Write! is not just a Markdown editor with a wide range of functions. The fact that it has its own cloud service also enables users to remain independent of other providers.

Laverna

Laverna is a Markdown editor for Linux, Mac and Windows, but you can also use this open source project online in a browser. If you have your own server, you can even find a version on the application's website which allows you to host Laverna yourself. No matter what version you decide on, all versions of this Markdown editor are available free of charge and without creating an account. Laverna’s layout is similar to most other Markdown editors. You write in an area on the left side and this is rendered as a live preview on the right side (but you can also turn off the preview). There are also a few buttons to make formatting the note you are working on easier.

You can manage documents by assigning tags to them. Particularly important notes can be saved to your “favorites” for quick access. To increase your productivity, Laverna offers a distraction-free mode and key binding. Through key binding, you can assign tasks you perform regularly to keyboard shortcuts. One of the special features Laverna provides is encryption. You can secure all your data with a password. You can even change the level of encryption in the settings. You can use an interface to connect Laverna to your Dropbox account and sync your files to different devices. Unfortunately, documents cannot be converted directly into HTML. Instead everything is in JSON format.

Laverna differentiates itself through its clear open source concept as well as its configurable encryption. The latter is particularly useful when sending important Markdown documents over the internet.

An overview of all eight Markdown editors

You can use this overview of the best Markdown editors to quickly see which application is right for you.

You do not need any special software to write Markdown. You can write these documents in any text editor. However, you will not be able to preview or convert the document directly into HTML.

What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that you can use to add formatting elements to plaintext text documents. Created by John Gruber in 2004, Markdown is now one of the world’s most popular markup languages.

Using Markdown is different than using a WYSIWYG editor. In an application like Microsoft Word, you click buttons to format words and phrases, and the changes are visible immediately. Markdown isn’t like that. When you create a Markdown-formatted file, you add Markdown syntax to the text to indicate which words and phrases should look different.

For instance, to denote a heading, you add a number sign before it (e.g., # Heading One). Or to make a phrase bold, you add two asterisks before and after it (e.g., **this text is bold**). It may take a while to get used to seeing Markdown syntax in your text, especially if you’re accustomed to WYSIWYG applications. The screenshot below shows a Markdown file displayed in the Atom text editor.

You can add Markdown formatting elements to a plaintext file using a text editor application. Or you can use one of the many Markdown applications for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android operating systems. There are also several web-based applications specifically designed for writing in Markdown.

Depending on the application you use, you may not be able to preview the formatted document in real time. But that’s okay. According to Gruber, Markdown syntax is designed to be readable and unobtrusive, so the text in Markdown files can be read even if it isn’t rendered.

The overriding design goal for Markdown’s formatting syntax is to make it as readable as possible. The idea is that a Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it’s been marked up with tags or formatting instructions.

Why Use Markdown?

You might be wondering why people use Markdown instead of a WYSIWYG editor. Why write with Markdown when you can press buttons in an interface to format your text? As it turns out, there are a couple different reasons why people use Markdown instead of WYSIWYG editors.

• Markdown can be used for everything. People use it to create websites, documents, notes, books, presentations, email messages, and technical documentation.

• Markdown is portable. Files containing Markdown-formatted text can be opened using virtually any application. If you decide you don’t like the Markdown application you’re currently using, you can import your Markdown files into another Markdown application. That’s in stark contrast to word processing applications like Microsoft Word that lock your content into a proprietary file format.

• Markdown is platform independent. You can create Markdown-formatted text on any device running any operating system.

• Markdown is future proof. Even if the application you’re using stops working at some point in the future, you’ll still be able to read your Markdown-formatted text using a text editing application. This is an important consideration when it comes to books, university theses, and other milestone documents that need to be preserved indefinitely.

• Markdown is everywhere. Websites like Reddit and GitHub support Markdown, and lots of desktop and web-based applications support it.

Kicking the Tires

The best way to get started with Markdown is to use it. That’s easier than ever before thanks to a variety of free tools.

You don’t even need to download anything. There are several online Markdown editors that you can use to try writing in Markdown. Dillinger is one of the best online Markdown editors. Just open the site and start typing in the left pane. A preview of the rendered document appears in the right pane.

You’ll probably want to keep the Dillinger website open as you read through this guide. That way you can try the syntax as you learn about it. After you’ve become familiar with Markdown, you may want to use a Markdown application that can be installed on your desktop computer or mobile device.

How Does it Work?

Dillinger makes writing in Markdown easy because it hides the stuff happening behind the scenes, but it’s worth exploring how the process works in general.

When you write in Markdown, the text is stored in a plaintext file that has an .md or .markdown extension. But then what? How is your Markdown-formatted file converted into HTML or a print-ready document?

The short answer is that you need a Markdown application capable of processing the Markdown file. There are lots of applications available — everything from simple scripts to desktop applications that look like Microsoft Word. Despite their visual differences, all of the applications do the same thing. Like Dillinger, they all convert Markdown-formatted text to HTML so it can be displayed in web browsers.

Markdown applications use something called a Markdown processor (also commonly referred to as a “parser” or an “implementation”) to take the Markdown-formatted text and output it to HTML format. At that point, your document can be viewed in a web browser or combined with a style sheet and printed. You can see a visual representation of this process below.

To summarize, this is a four-part process:

1. Create a Markdown file using a text editor or a dedicated Markdown application. The file should have an .md or .markdown extension.
2. Open the Markdown file in a Markdown application.
3. Use the Markdown application to convert the Markdown file to an HTML document.
4. View the HTML file in a web browser or use the Markdown application to convert it to another file format, like PDF.

From your perspective, the process will vary somewhat depending on the application you use. For example, Dillinger essentially combines steps 1-3 into a single, seamless interface — all you have to do is type in the left pane and the rendered output magically appears in the right pane. But if you use other tools, like a text editor with a static website generator, you’ll find that the process is much more visible.

What’s Markdown Good For?

Markdown is a fast and easy way to take notes, create content for a website, and produce print-ready documents.

It doesn’t take long to learn the Markdown syntax, and once you know how to use it, you can write using Markdown just about everywhere. Most people use Markdown to create content for the web, but Markdown is good for formatting everything from email messages to grocery lists.

Here are some examples of what you can do with Markdown.

Websites

Markdown Editor For Mac

Markdown was designed for the web, so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of applications specifically designed for creating website content.

If you’re looking for the simplest possible way to create a website with Markdown files, check out blot.im and smallvictori.es. After you sign up for one of these services, they create a Dropbox folder on your computer. Just drag and drop your Markdown files into the folder and — poof! — they’re on your website. It couldn’t be easier.

If you’re familiar with HTML, CSS, and version control, check out Jekyll, a popular static site generator that takes Markdown files and builds an HTML website. One advantage to this approach is that GitHub Pages provides free hosting for Jekyll-generated websites. If Jekyll isn’t your cup of tea, just pick one of the many other static site generators available.

If you’d like to use a content management system (CMS) to power your website, take a look at Ghost. It’s a free and open-source blogging platform with a nice Markdown editor. If you’re a WordPress user, you’ll be happy to know there’s Markdown support for websites hosted on WordPress.com. Self-hosted WordPress sites can use the Jetpack plugin.

Markdown Macro For Confluence

Documents

Markdown doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of word processors like Microsoft Word, but it’s good enough for creating basic documents like assignments and letters. You can use a Markdown document authoring application to create and export Markdown-formatted documents to PDF or HTML file format. The PDF part is key, because once you have a PDF document, you can do anything with it — print it, email it, or upload it to a website.

Here are some Markdown document authoring applications I recommend:

• Mac:MacDown, iA Writer, or Marked
• iOS / Android:iA Writer
• Windows:ghostwriter or Markdown Monster
• Linux:ReText or ghostwriter
• Web:Dillinger or StackEdit

Notes

In nearly every way, Markdown is the ideal syntax for taking notes. Sadly, Evernote and OneNote, two of the most popular note applications, don’t currently support Markdown. The good news is that several other note applications do support Markdown:

• Simplenote is a free, barebones note-taking application available for every platform.
• Notable is a note-taking application that runs on a variety of platforms.
• Bear is an Evernote-like application available for Mac and iOS devices. It doesn’t exclusively use Markdown by default, but you can enable Markdown compatibility mode.
• Boostnote bills itself as an “open source note-taking app designed for programmers.”

If you can’t part with Evernote, check out Marxico, a subscription-based Markdown editor for Evernote, or use Markdown Here with the Evernote website.

Books

Looking to self-publish a novel? Try Leanpub, a service that takes your Markdown-formatted files and turns them into an electronic book. Leanpub outputs your book in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI file format. If you’d like to create paperback copies of your book, you can upload the PDF file to another service such as Kindle Direct Publishing. To learn more about writing and self-publishing a book using Markdown, read this blog post.

Presentations

Believe it or not, you can generate presentations from Markdown-formatted files. Creating presentations in Markdown takes a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a lot faster and easier than using an application like PowerPoint or Keynote. Remark (GitHub project) is a popular browser-based Markdown slideshow tool, as is Cleaver (GitHub project). If you use a Mac and would prefer to use an application, check out Deckset or Marked.

Email

If you send a lot of email and you’re tired of the formatting controls available on most email provider websites, you’ll be happy to learn there’s an easy way to write email messages using Markdown. Markdown Here is a free and open-source browser extension that converts Markdown-formatted text into HTML that’s ready to send.

Documentation

Markdown is a natural fit for technical documentation. Companies like GitHub are increasingly switching to Markdown for their documentation — check out their blog post about how they migrated their Markdown-formatted documentation to Jekyll. If you write documentation for a product or service, take a look at these handy tools:

• Read the Docs can generate a documentation website from your open source Markdown files. Just connect your GitHub repository to their service and push — Read the Docs does the rest. They also have a service for commercial entities.
• MkDocs is a fast and simple static site generator that’s geared towards building project documentation. Documentation source files are written in Markdown and configured with a single YAML configuration file. MkDocs has several built in themes, including a port of the Read the Docs documentation theme for use with MkDocs. One of the newest themes is MkDocs Material.
• Docusaurus is a static site generator designed exclusively for creating documentation websites. It supports translations, search, and versioning.
• VuePress is a static site generator powered by Vue and optimized for writing technical documentation.
• Jekyll was mentioned earlier in the section on websites, but it’s also a good option for generating a documentation website from Markdown files. If you go this route, be sure to check out the Jekyll documentation theme.

Flavors of Markdown

One of the most confusing aspects of using Markdown is that practically every Markdown application implements a slightly different version of Markdown. These variants of Markdown are commonly referred to as flavors. It’s your job to master whatever flavor of Markdown your application has implemented.

To wrap your head around the concept of Markdown flavors, it might help to think of them as language dialects. People in Ciudad Juárez speak Spanish just like the people in Barcelona, but there are substantial differences between the dialects used in both cities. The same is true for people using different Markdown applications. Using Dillinger to write with Markdown is a vastly different experience than using Ulysses.

Practically speaking, this means you never know exactly what a company means when they say they support “Markdown.” Are they talking about only the basic syntax elements, or all of the basic and extended syntax elements combined, or some arbitrary combination of syntax elements? You won’t know until you read the documentation or start using the application.

If you’re just starting out, the best advice I can give you is to pick a Markdown application with good Markdown support. That’ll go a long way towards maintaining the portability of your Markdown files. You might want to store and use your Markdown files in other applications, and to do that you need to start with an application that provides good support. You can use the tool directory to find an application that fits the bill.

Additional Resources

There are lots of resources you can use to learn Markdown. Here are some other introductory resources:

• John Gruber’s Markdown documentation. The original guide written by the creator of Markdown.
• Markdown Tutorial. An open source website that allows you to try Markdown in your web browser.
• Awesome Markdown. A list of Markdown tools and learning resources.
• Typesetting Markdown. A multi-part series that describes an ecosystem for typesetting Markdown documents using pandoc and ConTeXt.

Take your Markdown skills to the next level.

Learn Markdown in 60 pages. Designed for both novices and experts, The Markdown Guide book is a comprehensive reference that has everything you need to get started and master Markdown syntax.

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