Free, open-source, full-featured Markdown editor. Synchronization is one of the biggest features of StackEdit. It enables you to synchronize any file in your workspace with other files stored in your Google Drive, your Dropbox and your GitHub accounts. This allows you to keep writing on other devices, collaborate with people you share the file with, integrate easily into your workflow. Dillinger is an online cloud based HTML5 filled Markdown Editor. Sync with Dropbox, Github, Google Drive or OneDrive. Convert HTML to Markdown. 100% Open Source! Guiding Tech explains what are Markdown writing tools and why online writers should use them.
- Markdown Online Writer Software
- Paid Online Writer
- Markdown Online Writers
- Markdown Live Editor
- Markdown Official Editor
The publication of classic Marp app has ended.
Marp desktop app, a simple Markdown presentation writer, already had stopped maintenance since 2017. Today Marp team is focusing into Marp Next project, the brand-new presentation ecosystem for the future.
Why?
We had kept publishing app for stuck users that are thinking Marp Next is too complex.
But recently, we received a serious security report for outdated app. By opening a malicious Markdown, an attacker can execute arbitrary code through remote. We are responsible for saving users from malicious.
If you are currently using Marp app, please stop using as soon as possible and migrate into well-maintained Marp Next tools.
Marp Next tools
Marp Next is not complex! Simply you can just use either one if you want to create slide deck.
Marp for VS Code (Recommended)
Marp for VS Code, an extension for Visual Studio Code, is the best alternative for desktop app users. There are key features inherited from the classic Marp app.
- Live preview
- Export to PDF, HTML, and PPTX (via Marp CLI)
- Support built-in 3 themes and custom theme CSS
Marp CLI
Marp CLI is simple but powerful CLI converter from Marp Markdown into PDF, HTML, PPTX, and images. You can use it if you don't want GUI editor.
I also have an example repository to automate generating slide deck and serving through Marp CLI + Netlify or ZEIT Now.
Migrate Markdown
Marp Next is losing Markdown compatibility with classic app, but your slide would keep appearance as before just by some changes in most cases. Please see our blog post for details.
Thanks
Thanks for a lot of users / contributors of desktop app. Marp has changed my life as developer without doubt, and I've learned a lot from many feedbacks.
Now Marp Next project is evolving built on them. I hope you like it too.
— Yuki Hattori (@yhatt)
Time for a little history lesson. Markdown was created by Apple Guru from Daring Fireball, John Gruber. And in essence all it is, is a mark-up syntax, just like HTML. Only a lot easier to write and one that works wonderfully well with HTML and by extension, the web (including WordPress).
What Is Markdown? Answered By Its Creator
“Markdown is a text-to-HTML conversion tool for web writers. Markdown allows you to write using an easy-to-read, easy-to-write plain text format, then convert it to structurally valid XHTML (or HTML). Thus, “Markdown” is two things: (1) a plain text formatting syntax; and (2) a software tool, written in Perl, that converts the plain text formatting to HTML.”
Markdown has its own formatting rules and most of it is straight forward. Spend a couple of minutes getting to know the syntax and you’ll know what’s what. And it’s pretty simple. For example just add # for H1 to ### for H3, wrap your text in single asterisks for italics or double for bold. Markdown supports all the formatting options a web writer may need. And the great thing is you are formatting the text while writing and not spending extra time highlighting text individually, going through the menu bar and picking different options. Also, when you copy the text as HTML, all the formatting stays as it is. All the italics, bold, headings, block quotes etc go right with you. This text works great in every web environment be it WordPress or Ghost.
Why Choose Markdown
1. Easy To Write
As demonstrated above, writing in Markdown is pretty simple. As simple as adding a couple of special characters to your normal text. Here’s a screenshot.
2. Clean Code
When you started writing for the web, you must have received an email from your editor about how your code needs to be clean and your reaction was “Code? What code?”. Ah, being a novice writer. See, when you blindly copy formatted text from any word processor like Word, you get some unnecessary text along with it. It might not mean much to you but to the owner of the site who is trying so very hard to get the bots from Google scan through the right content, find it fitting and rank it higher on the search page.
3. Nice And Pretty
When I started out, I experimented with couple of word processors and settled with Google Drive because it was fast and I could leave off writing on my PC and pick it up from on my MacBook really easily. But to be honest, the actual experience of writing wasn’t that great. Writers talk about things like inspiration and writers block a lot. Most of it is laziness and fear of writing quality content but there is some truth to it.
Every writer needs to be in an environment that suits him and stimulates his creativity. Be it a cafe bustling with fellow humans and music, or a quite corner in your home. Just like the physical space, the virtual one is just as important. Markdown writers, for Mac and iOS at least are one of the most beautiful apps I’ve ever seen. I’ll tell you more about them and recommend the best of the bunch in coming articles but below is one such example – Ulysses.
Of course, not all is rosy meadows in Markdown land. Exceptional grammar and spell check is hard to find in a Markdown Editor and so are in-line images. As a web writer you might not need them, but if you do, Markdown might not be for you.
Markdown Online Writer Software
Use Dropbox To Save, Backup And Sync Documents
If you are going to use Markdown files, the best way to manage them will be Dropbox. Just save the file from any app that you use into a Dropbox folder and make sure the extension is .md. Apple users who write only on Macs or iDevices can choose iCloud as well, but for a bit more flexibility and Windows and Android support, you should go with Dropbox.
If you are using a mobile app, make sure it has Dropbox support. Most of them do. On desktop you can just save the .md file in the Dropbox folder, no extra features needed. Using Dropbox to sync and save Markdown files might seem like an overkill right now but being able to continue writing an article from the iPad seconds after saving and closing the file on Mac is a truly serene experience.
Recommended Markdown Writing Tools:
Mac: LightPaper (Free), iA Writer ($4.99), Byword ($9.99)
Windows: MarkdownPad 2(Free)
Android: JotterPad X ($5 add on for Markdown support)
iOS: Editorial for iPad ($4.99), Byword ($4.99), iA writer ($4.99)
Paid Online Writer
Your Take?
What do you think about Markdown? Was this article enough to spark an interest in you? Thinking about venturing into the world of Markdown editing? Do let us know in the comments below.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
Markdown Online Writers
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