remark vs Showdown
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 simple tool that turns Markdown text into a browser-based slideshow.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library that converts Markdown to HTML and HTML back to Markdown.
The short answer
Choose remark if you need…
- People comfortable with HTML and CSS who want slides written in Markdown
- Developers or teachers who want a presentation they can version-control as plain text
- Presenters who want a speaker-notes view with a cloned display
Choose Showdown if you need…
- JavaScript developers adding Markdown rendering to a web page
- Node.js developers converting Markdown files on a server
- Projects that need two-way conversion between HTML and Markdown
- Developers who want options such as tables, header ids, or image sizing
Side-by-side
| remark | Showdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 13k | 14.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Download the app | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 2 years ago | 8 days ago |
What each one is
remark
remark is a JavaScript library that renders a slideshow in a web browser from Markdown text placed inside an HTML file. You write slides separated by dividers, open the page, and it displays them. It is aimed at people who already know some HTML and CSS, since styling is done with ordinary CSS.
Showdown
Showdown is a JavaScript library that turns Markdown text (a simple plain-text formatting syntax) into HTML, and can also convert HTML back into Markdown. It runs in a web browser or on a server with Node.js. Developers use it to let people write formatted text in a simple syntax and display it as web pages.
Best for
remark
- People comfortable with HTML and CSS who want slides written in Markdown
- Developers or teachers who want a presentation they can version-control as plain text
- Presenters who want a speaker-notes view with a cloned display
Showdown
- JavaScript developers adding Markdown rendering to a web page
- Node.js developers converting Markdown files on a server
- Projects that need two-way conversion between HTML and Markdown
- Developers who want options such as tables, header ids, or image sizing
Strengths
remark
- Simple model: one HTML file with Markdown slides inside
- Presenter mode with speaker notes and a cloned view
- Works on touch devices with swipe navigation
Showdown
- Works both in the browser and on Node.js
- Options let you adjust output such as header ids, header levels, and links
- Released under the MIT license
Not ideal for
remark
- Non-technical users who want a visual slide editor, since the README describes editing HTML and Markdown by hand
- People who need an offline presentation without building remark first, since the README notes the local boilerplate requires a build step
- Users who need built-in PDF export, since the README says PDF output relies mainly on Chrome's Print to PDF and styling is not exact
Showdown
- People who just want to write Markdown in a ready-made editor app, since this is a library, not an app
- Projects that need the exact GitHub rendering behavior, since the README mentions GitHub-style ids but does not claim full compatibility
- Anyone needing current browser support for very old browsers, since the README lists tested versions from decades ago without current testing details
Trade-offs
remark
- Targeted at people who know HTML and CSS, so it is not a point-and-click tool
- PDF export styling is not guaranteed to match the browser view
- The README's boilerplate loads resources from remote URLs, so an internet connection is typically needed unless you build locally
Showdown
- The README is a long list of options and does not document every edge case, so you may need the wiki for detail
- The browser compatibility section lists very old browsers and gives no current test results
- Some features such as tables are off by default and must be turned on
Getting started
remark
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/gnab/remarkFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between remark and Showdown?
remark: A simple tool that turns Markdown text into a browser-based slideshow. Showdown: A JavaScript library that converts Markdown to HTML and HTML back to Markdown. remark suits people comfortable with html and css who want slides written in markdown, while Showdown suits javascript developers adding markdown rendering to a web page.
Are remark and Showdown free?
remark: Free and open source. Showdown: Free and open source.
Is remark or Showdown more popular?
Showdown has more GitHub stars (14.9k) than remark (13k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to remark and Showdown?
Other options people compare them with include reveal.js, Marp, Slidev, impress.js, Turndown.
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.