MarkText
A simple, distraction-free markdown editor for Linux, macOS and Windows.
- Stars
- 63.5k
- Forks
- 4.7k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
MarkText is a desktop app for writing Markdown, the plain-text format used for notes, docs and blog posts. It shows formatted output as you type (a realtime preview) so you do not need to switch between raw code and a rendered view. It can also export documents to HTML and PDF.
- Write and preview a Markdown document with math formulas and emojis
- Export a finished Markdown document to HTML or PDF
- Paste images from the clipboard directly into a document
- Switch between source code mode and realtime preview while editing
Great for
- People who write notes or articles in Markdown and want a clean, minimal editor
- Writers who want focus aids such as typewriter mode or focus mode
- Users who need math expressions (KaTeX) or front matter in their documents
- Anyone who wants a free, MIT-licensed editor on Linux, macOS or Windows
Not ideal for
- People who want a web-based or cloud-synced editor, since the README describes a desktop app only
- Users who need a full note-management system with linking and databases, as the README does not mention these features
- Users on older operating systems, since macOS 13 or later and Windows 10 or 11 are required
How to get it
- 1
Download the app
Install on macOS with Homebrew
brew install --cask mark-textInstall on Windows with Chocolatey
choco install marktextInstall on Windows with Winget
winget install marktext - 2
Run it
- Download the installer for your system from the releases page, choosing arm64 or x64 on macOS and x64 or arm64 on Windows
- Install the app using the setup wizard or your package manager
- Open MarkText and create a new Markdown document
- Choose a view or editing mode such as typewriter or focus mode from the app
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Try typewriter mode and focus mode to keep your current line or paragraph in view while writing
- Use the theme options such as Cadmium Light or Material Dark to change the look
- Paste images straight from the clipboard instead of linking files manually
- Export to HTML or PDF when a document is ready to share
Downloads
Strengths
- Realtime preview and a simple interface reduce distraction while writing
- Supports CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown specs, plus selected Pandoc syntax
- Free and open source under the MIT license, with installers for three operating systems
Trade-offs
- The README is truncated and gives limited detail on Linux installation, which is delegated to an external page
- Pandoc Markdown support is described only as selective, so some syntax may not work
- Relies on an external website for themes, installation and documentation details
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| marktext (this) | 63.5k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who write notes or articles in Markdown and want a clean, minimal editor |
| atom | 60.7k | App | beginner | 3.8 years ago | Developers who want a desktop code editor they can customize with packages |
| nylas-mail | 24.7k | App | advanced | 4 months ago | Developers curious about how an extensible Electron and React desktop app is structured |
| nativefier | 35.2k | CLI | beginner | 3.1 years ago | People who want a site like WhatsApp Web or Gmail in its own window |
| pear-desktop | 34k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window |
| webtorrent-desktop | 10.1k | App | beginner | 6 days ago | People who want to stream torrent video without waiting for a full download |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.