mdx-deck vs Spectacle
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
Build slide presentations in React using MDX, with a zero-config setup.
Open source · MIT
A React library for building slide presentations by writing JSX, including live code demos.
The short answer
Choose mdx-deck if you need…
- Developers who already write React and want to present technical material
- Teams that keep documentation in Markdown and want slides from the same source
- People who want a zero-config starting point for a web-based deck
Choose Spectacle if you need…
- React developers who want to build slides as code
- Engineers giving technical talks that include live demos
- Teams that keep presentations in version control
Side-by-side
| mdx-deck | Spectacle | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 11.5k | 10.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 years ago | 9 days ago |
What each one is
mdx-deck
mdx-deck is a tool for making slide presentations by writing Markdown mixed with React components (MDX). Each slide is written as content in a file, and the tool turns the file into a deck you can present in a browser. It is aimed at people who already work with React and want slides that can include live components or code.
Spectacle
Spectacle is a JavaScript library built on React that lets you create presentation slides by writing components in JSX, the syntax React uses. Because slides are ordinary React code, you can embed live, running code examples inside a talk. The README describes it as a ReactJS based presentation library and points to a docs site for details.
Best for
mdx-deck
- Developers who already write React and want to present technical material
- Teams that keep documentation in Markdown and want slides from the same source
- People who want a zero-config starting point for a web-based deck
Spectacle
- React developers who want to build slides as code
- Engineers giving technical talks that include live demos
- Teams that keep presentations in version control
Strengths
mdx-deck
- Uses familiar Markdown syntax together with React components
- Described as zero-config, so you can start without extensive setup
- MIT licensed and open source
Spectacle
- Slides are written as JSX, so they fit into an existing React workflow
- Supports live demos of code within a presentation, according to the description
- Published under the MIT license and actively maintained per the README
Not ideal for
mdx-deck
- Non-technical users who want a visual slide editor, since it requires writing code and MDX files
- People who need a finished PowerPoint or Keynote file, since output is a web presentation
- Anyone unwilling to set up a Node.js project, because the README describes a JavaScript toolchain
Spectacle
- People who want a drag-and-drop slide editor, since the README describes a code-based library and does not mention a visual editor
- Non-programmers, because creating slides requires writing React components
Trade-offs
mdx-deck
- Requires familiarity with React and MDX, which is a barrier for non-developers
- Last code push listed as January 2023, so maintenance activity may be limited; check the repository before relying on it
- No published release is listed, so you would install from the repository source
Spectacle
- Requires knowledge of React and JavaScript to use
- The README is short and defers most detail to the docs site and package README
- Not a visual editor, so layout changes are made in code
Getting started
mdx-deck
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jxnblk/mdx-deckSpectacle
Install the spectacle package from npm
npm install spectacleFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between mdx-deck and Spectacle?
mdx-deck: Build slide presentations in React using MDX, with a zero-config setup. Spectacle: A React library for building slide presentations by writing JSX, including live code demos. mdx-deck suits developers who already write react and want to present technical material, while Spectacle suits react developers who want to build slides as code.
Are mdx-deck and Spectacle free?
mdx-deck: Free and open source. Spectacle: Free and open source.
Is mdx-deck or Spectacle more popular?
mdx-deck has more GitHub stars (11.5k) than Spectacle (10.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to mdx-deck and Spectacle?
Other options people compare them with include reveal.js, Slidev, Chakra UI, Zustand, CopilotKit.
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.