Marp vs reveal.js
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
An entry point to the Marp family of tools for making slide decks from plain Markdown.
Open source · MIT
A free HTML framework for building slide presentations that run in a web browser.
The short answer
Choose Marp if you need…
- People who prefer writing slides as Markdown text rather than in a visual editor
- Developers who want to generate slide decks from code or scripts
- VS Code users who want a live preview of their slides
- Anyone looking for an overview of the Marp ecosystem before choosing a component
Choose reveal.js if you need…
- Developers who already write HTML, CSS, or JavaScript and want full control over slide design
- People who want presentations as code that can be versioned and reviewed like other files
- Teams who need slides with code samples or math notation
- Anyone who wants a free, self-hosted alternative to a proprietary slide tool
Side-by-side
| Marp | reveal.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Other | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 12.7k | 72.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | See the README | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 3 months ago | 36 days ago |
What each one is
Marp
Marp is a set of open-source projects for writing presentations in plain Markdown text and converting them into slides. This repository is mainly a hub that links to the family's parts: the Marpit framework, Marp Core, Marp CLI for exporting to HTML, PDF, PPTX or images, and a VS Code extension for previewing decks. The README also links to the project website and an awesome list of Marp resources.
reveal.js
reveal.js is an open source HTML presentation framework. You write slides as web pages, and the result runs in any browser, so you can present or share it without special presentation software. The README highlights features such as Markdown slides, speaker notes, PDF export, LaTeX math, syntax-highlighted code, and an API for customization.
Best for
Marp
- People who prefer writing slides as Markdown text rather than in a visual editor
- Developers who want to generate slide decks from code or scripts
- VS Code users who want a live preview of their slides
- Anyone looking for an overview of the Marp ecosystem before choosing a component
reveal.js
- Developers who already write HTML, CSS, or JavaScript and want full control over slide design
- People who want presentations as code that can be versioned and reviewed like other files
- Teams who need slides with code samples or math notation
- Anyone who wants a free, self-hosted alternative to a proprietary slide tool
Strengths
Marp
- Slides are plain Markdown files that work with version control and any text editor
- Multiple export formats are supported through the CLI, according to the README
- Released under the MIT license with an active project and a large community
reveal.js
- Free and MIT licensed, with a large community (about 72,000 stars on GitHub)
- Presentations are plain web files that run in any modern browser and can be hosted anywhere
- Documented feature set covering Markdown, speaker notes, PDF export, and math
Not ideal for
Marp
- Users who need a drag-and-drop slide editor, since this project is text-based (reason: the README describes Markdown writing, not a visual editor)
- People who need the classic Marp app, which the README says is archived (reason: the README points to a gravesite for the old app)
reveal.js
- People who want a drag-and-drop editor: the README points to Slides.com, a separate graphical editor by the same authors, for that
- Non-technical users who do not want to edit HTML or configuration files, since setup assumes some web development familiarity
- Those needing a paid video course to learn it: the README links a course, but it is a paid product and the README does not describe its contents
Trade-offs
Marp
- This repository is a directory of links, so you must install the individual components to actually make slides
- The README does not give installation commands for the components, so setup details must come from their own repos
- Some older parts such as Marp Web, Marp React and Marp Vue are listed as outdated or inactive
reveal.js
- Requires comfort with HTML and a build or hosting step, which is a barrier for non-developers
- The README is truncated here, so details of specific browser support and version requirements are not confirmed
- Design polish depends on your own CSS and theme choices
Getting started
Marp
Clone this repository
git clone https://github.com/marp-team/marpreveal.js
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/hakimel/reveal.jsFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Marp and reveal.js?
Marp: An entry point to the Marp family of tools for making slide decks from plain Markdown. reveal.js: A free HTML framework for building slide presentations that run in a web browser. Marp suits people who prefer writing slides as markdown text rather than in a visual editor, while reveal.js suits developers who already write html, css, or javascript and want full control over slide design.
Are Marp and reveal.js free?
Marp: Free and open source. reveal.js: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Marp or reveal.js?
Marp is easier to get started with (rated beginner); reveal.js is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Marp or reveal.js more popular?
reveal.js has more GitHub stars (72.5k) than Marp (12.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Marp and reveal.js?
Other options people compare them with include Slidev, impress.js, remark.
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.