Frontend Slides vs Slidev
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A Claude Code skill that builds single-file HTML slide decks, or converts PowerPoint files to web slides.
Open source · MIT
Write presentation slides in Markdown, rendered with Vue and Vite.
The short answer
Choose Frontend Slides if you need…
- Non-designers who want good-looking web presentations without writing CSS or JavaScript
- People who already use Claude Code and want to make slides from a chat
- Users who have an existing .pptx and want to move it to a web format
- Developers who want slides they can edit as plain HTML files
Choose Slidev if you need…
- Developers who want to present code, technical talks, or architecture diagrams
- People comfortable editing Markdown and who prefer version-controlled slides
- Teams that want slides stored alongside project files in a Git repository
- Anyone who wants to present from a second window or phone using presenter mode
Side-by-side
| Frontend Slides | Slidev | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI model / agent | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 31.7k | 49.3k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 5 months ago | 14 days ago |
What each one is
Frontend Slides
Frontend Slides is a skill (a set of instructions and support files) for coding agents such as Claude Code that creates presentations as HTML pages. It asks about your content, shows a few visual style previews for you to pick from, and then generates the deck. It can also convert an existing PowerPoint file into a web slideshow while keeping images and text.
Slidev
Slidev is an open-source tool for making presentation slides using Markdown files. You write your slides as text, and it renders them in a web browser with code highlighting, math, diagrams, and Vue components. It can export slides to PDF, PNG, or PPTX.
Best for
Frontend Slides
- Non-designers who want good-looking web presentations without writing CSS or JavaScript
- People who already use Claude Code and want to make slides from a chat
- Users who have an existing .pptx and want to move it to a web format
- Developers who want slides they can edit as plain HTML files
Slidev
- Developers who want to present code, technical talks, or architecture diagrams
- People comfortable editing Markdown and who prefer version-controlled slides
- Teams that want slides stored alongside project files in a Git repository
- Anyone who wants to present from a second window or phone using presenter mode
Strengths
Frontend Slides
- Output is single HTML files with inline CSS and JavaScript, with no npm or build tools needed
- Style discovery shows visual previews, so you do not have to describe your taste in words
- MIT licensed and free to inspect and modify
Slidev
- Slides are plain Markdown files, so they work well with Git and any text editor
- Built on Vite, so changes reload quickly while editing
- Themes can be shared as npm packages and it supports a large set of icons
Not ideal for
Frontend Slides
- Users who need a visual drag-and-drop editor, since the README describes a chat-driven workflow
- People without a coding agent installed, because the skill is built to run inside one
- Teams that need slides edited collaboratively in the browser, which the README does not mention
Slidev
- People who need a visual drag-and-drop slide editor, since Slidev is text-based (the README mentions an integrated editor, but its depth is not described here)
- Users who cannot install Node.js, since the local setup requires Node.js 22.12.0 or newer
- Those who only need simple slides and do not want to learn Markdown syntax and Vue features
Trade-offs
Frontend Slides
- Depends on a coding agent such as Claude Code; the README says other agents may not use the same command surface
- The README is truncated, so details of the bold template pack and some setup steps are not fully verified here
Slidev
- Requires a Node.js development environment, which may be a barrier for non-developers
- Visual design customization relies on CSS utilities and Vue knowledge for advanced changes
- The README does not detail the export quality or limitations of each export format
Getting started
Frontend Slides
Install via Claude Code marketplace (run first)
/plugin marketplace add https://github.com/zarazhangrui/frontend-slidesInstall the plugin (run second, in a separate message)
/plugin install frontend-slides@frontend-slidesFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Frontend Slides and Slidev?
Frontend Slides: A Claude Code skill that builds single-file HTML slide decks, or converts PowerPoint files to web slides. Slidev: Write presentation slides in Markdown, rendered with Vue and Vite. Frontend Slides suits non-designers who want good-looking web presentations without writing css or javascript, while Slidev suits developers who want to present code, technical talks, or architecture diagrams.
Are Frontend Slides and Slidev free?
Frontend Slides: Free and open source. Slidev: Free and open source.
Is Frontend Slides or Slidev more popular?
Slidev has more GitHub stars (49.3k) than Frontend Slides (31.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Frontend Slides and Slidev?
Other options people compare them with include reveal.js, Marp, Hermes Agent, AI Berkshire, PPT Master.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.