Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It allows you to write formatted text using plain-text syntax that is easy to read and write. Markdown files use the .md or .markdown extension and can be converted to HTML and many other formats.

How does this Markdown preview tool work?

This tool uses the marked.js library to parse your Markdown input and convert it to HTML in real time. As you type in the editor, the rendered preview updates instantly. All processing happens in your browser — no data is sent to any server.

Does this tool support GitHub Flavored Markdown?

Yes. This tool uses the GFM (GitHub Flavored Markdown) specification, which includes support for tables, task lists, strikethrough text, fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting, and automatic URL linking — the same syntax used on GitHub.

Can I export my Markdown as HTML?

Yes. You can copy the raw HTML to your clipboard, download your content as a .md file, or export the rendered output as a standalone .html file. All export options are available from the toolbar.

Is my Markdown content private and secure?

Absolutely. All Markdown parsing and HTML rendering happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No text is ever transmitted to or stored on any server. Your content is auto-saved to your browser's local storage for convenience, but never leaves your device.

Does this editor support keyboard shortcuts?

Yes. Common formatting shortcuts include Ctrl+B for bold, Ctrl+I for italic, Ctrl+K for links, Ctrl+Shift+K for code, and Ctrl+Shift+X for strikethrough. These shortcuts work the same way as popular editors like VS Code and GitHub.

What is the difference between Markdown and HTML?

HTML is the standard markup language for web pages, using tags like , , and . Markdown is a simpler, human-readable syntax that converts to HTML. For example, **bold** in Markdown becomes bold in HTML. Markdown is easier to write but HTML offers more control over layout and styling.

Markdown Editor & Preview

Write Markdown and see the rendered HTML preview in real time with syntax highlighting

Live preview | 100% client-side

Editor

Preview

Preview will appear here

Saved GFM

Ctrl+B Bold Ctrl+I Italic Ctrl+K Link Ctrl+Shift+K Code

What Is Markdown?

A lightweight markup language that makes writing formatted content simple and fast

Markdown is a plain-text formatting syntax created by John Gruber in 2004. It lets you write content using easy-to-read, easy-to-write characters that convert to structurally valid HTML. Today Markdown is the standard for README files, documentation, blogs, forums, static site generators, and note-taking apps. GitHub, GitLab, Reddit, Stack Overflow, and thousands of other platforms support Markdown natively.

Easy to Write

Markdown uses intuitive symbols like # for headings, ** for bold, and - for lists. No need to memorize complex HTML tags — you can learn the basics in minutes.

Universal Support

GitHub, GitLab, Reddit, Stack Overflow, Notion, Obsidian, Jekyll, Hugo, and thousands of other tools and platforms support Markdown natively, making it the de facto standard for technical writing.

Converts to Anything

Markdown converts to HTML, PDF, DOCX, LaTeX, and more. Tools like Pandoc, marked.js, and remark make it easy to transform Markdown into any output format you need.

How to Use the Markdown Editor

Follow these simple steps to write, preview, and export Markdown

Write or Import

Type Markdown directly in the editor or import an existing .md file. Use the toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts to quickly insert formatting syntax.

Preview in Real Time

The preview pane updates instantly as you type. Code blocks are syntax-highlighted, tables are properly formatted, and task lists render as interactive checkboxes.

Export or Copy

Download your work as a .md file, export as a standalone .html file, or copy the raw HTML to your clipboard. Your content is auto-saved in your browser.

Markdown Syntax Cheat Sheet

A quick reference for the most commonly used Markdown syntax

Element	Markdown Syntax	Result
Heading 1	`# Heading`	Heading
Heading 2	`## Heading`	Heading
Bold	`bold text`	bold text
Italic	`italic text`	italic text
Strikethrough	`~~deleted~~`	~~deleted~~
Link	`[text](url)`	text
Image	`![alt](url)`	Embedded image
Inline Code	`code`	`code`
Code Block	```lang ... ```	Syntax-highlighted block
Task List	`- [x] Done`	Done
Table	`\| H \| H \| ...`	Formatted table
Blockquote	`> Quote text`	Quote text
Horizontal Rule	`---`

Tip: Use the toolbar buttons above the editor to quickly insert any of these Markdown elements at your cursor position, or use keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+B for bold and Ctrl+I for italic.

Common Markdown Use Cases

Where Markdown is used and why it has become the standard for technical writing

README & Documentation

Every GitHub and GitLab project uses Markdown for README files, wikis, and documentation. Write project descriptions, installation guides, and API docs in a format that renders beautifully on any platform.

Blog Posts & Articles

Static site generators like Jekyll, Hugo, Gatsby, and Astro use Markdown as the primary content format. Write your blog posts in Markdown and let the build tool handle the HTML conversion.

Notes & Knowledge Bases

Apps like Obsidian, Notion, Bear, and Joplin use Markdown for note-taking. Your notes stay portable and readable as plain text, with no vendor lock-in to proprietary formats.

Forums & Discussions

Reddit, Stack Overflow, Discord, and GitHub Issues all support Markdown. Format your posts, comments, and code snippets consistently across platforms without learning different editors.

Markdown vs Other Formats

How Markdown compares to HTML, reStructuredText, and WYSIWYG editors

Feature	Markdown	HTML	WYSIWYG
Learning Curve	Minutes	Hours	Instant
Readability (source)	Excellent	Poor	N/A (binary)
Version Control	Excellent	Good	Poor
Layout Control	Basic	Full	Full
Portability	Universal	Universal	Vendor-specific
Writing Speed	Fast	Slow	Fast

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Markdown and this preview tool

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that lets you write formatted content using simple plain-text syntax. It was created by John Gruber in 2004 with the goal of making text easy to read and write while being convertible to HTML. You should use it because it's fast to write, readable in raw form, universally supported across platforms like GitHub, GitLab, Reddit, and Stack Overflow, and easily converts to HTML, PDF, and other formats.

This tool uses the marked.js library to parse your Markdown input and convert it to HTML in real time, with highlight.js for syntax highlighting code blocks. As you type in the editor, the rendered preview updates instantly. All processing happens entirely in your browser — no data is ever sent to any server.

This editor includes a full formatting toolbar with support for headings, bold, italic, strikethrough, links, images, code blocks, tables, task lists, and more. Additional features include keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+K), syntax highlighting for code blocks, file import/export (.md and .html), auto-save to local storage, live word/character count, reading time estimation, and multiple view modes (split, editor-only, preview-only).

Yes. Click the Upload button to import any .md, .markdown, or .txt file. You can export your work as a .md file (Markdown source) or as a standalone .html file (rendered output with styling). You can also copy the raw HTML to your clipboard.

Yes. This tool uses the GFM specification, which extends standard Markdown with features like tables, task lists (checkboxes), strikethrough text (~~text~~), fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting, and automatic URL linking. This is the same Markdown flavor used on GitHub.

Absolutely. All Markdown parsing and HTML rendering happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never transmitted to, processed on, or stored on any server. Your content is auto-saved to your browser's local storage for convenience, but it never leaves your device. You can verify this by checking the Network tab in your browser's Developer Tools.

The editor supports the following keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+B for bold, Ctrl+I for italic, Ctrl+K for links, Ctrl+Shift+K for inline code, and Ctrl+Shift+X for strikethrough. These match the shortcuts used in popular editors like VS Code and GitHub.

HTML is the standard markup language for web pages, using verbose tags like <p>, <strong>, and <a href="...">. Markdown is a simpler, human-readable syntax that compiles to HTML. For example, **bold** in Markdown becomes <strong>bold</strong> in HTML. Markdown is much faster to write and easier to read in source form, while HTML gives you full control over every aspect of layout and styling.