Recommended Markdown Editors
Choosing the right editor can greatly enhance your Markdown writing experience. This page recommends various types of Markdown editors to help you find the tool that suits you best.
Professional Markdown Editors
Typora
Truly WYSIWYG Markdown editor
Features:
- ✅ Real-time rendering, no split preview needed
- ✅ Elegant user interface
- ✅ Rich theme support
- ✅ Math formulas and chart support
- ✅ Export to multiple formats (PDF, Word, HTML)
Best for:
- Long-form writing
- Academic papers
- Technical documentation
- Daily notes
Price: Paid software (about $14.99) Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Mark Text
Simple real-time preview editor
Features:
- ✅ Free and open source
- ✅ Real-time preview
- ✅ Focus mode
- ✅ Supports multiple export formats
- ✅ Lightweight
Best for:
- Personal writing
- Tech blogs
- README files
Price: Free Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Zettlr
Editor for academic writing
Features:
- ✅ Optimized for academic writing
- ✅ Integrated reference management
- ✅ Zettelkasten method support
- ✅ Powerful search
- ✅ Multiple export options
Best for:
- Academic papers
- Research notes
- Reference management
Price: Free Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Code Editors
Visual Studio Code
The most popular editor among developers
Recommended extensions:
- Markdown All in One - Full-featured Markdown support
- Markdown Preview Enhanced - Enhanced preview
- markdownlint - Syntax checking
- Paste Image - Quick image insertion
Features:
- ✅ Powerful extension ecosystem
- ✅ Git integration
- ✅ Multi-file management
- ✅ Highly customizable
- ✅ Smart autocomplete
Sample configuration:
{
"markdown.preview.fontSize": 16,
"markdown.preview.lineHeight": 1.6,
"markdown.extension.toc.levels": "2..6",
"markdown.extension.preview.autoShowPreviewToSide": true
}
Best for:
- Technical documentation
- Project README
- Code comment docs
- Multi-file projects
Price: Free Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Sublime Text
Lightweight, high-performance editor
Recommended packages:
- MarkdownEditing - Enhanced Markdown editing
- Markdown Preview - Preview feature
- Table Editor - Table editing
Features:
- ✅ Extremely fast performance
- ✅ Multi-selection and command palette
- ✅ Powerful search and replace
- ✅ Plugin system
Best for:
- Quick editing
- Large file handling
- Batch operations
Price: Paid ($99, free trial available) Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Vim/Neovim
King of command-line editing
Recommended plugins:
- vim-markdown - Markdown syntax highlighting
- markdown-preview.nvim - Real-time preview
- vim-table-mode - Table editing
Features:
- ✅ Extremely high editing efficiency
- ✅ Fully keyboard-driven
- ✅ Highly customizable
- ✅ Server environment friendly
Best for:
- Server environment editing
- Efficient text processing
- Daily use by programmers
Price: Free Platforms: All platforms
Note-taking Apps
Obsidian
Powerful tool for knowledge management and note-taking
Features:
- ✅ Bidirectional links
- ✅ Knowledge graph
- ✅ Rich plugin ecosystem
- ✅ Local storage
- ✅ Powerful search and tagging
Best for:
- Personal knowledge base
- Study notes
- Research material organization
- Creative writing
Price: Free for personal use, paid for commercial use Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Notion
All-in-one workspace
Features:
- ✅ Combines Markdown and rich text
- ✅ Database functionality
- ✅ Team collaboration
- ✅ Template system
- ✅ Multimedia support
Best for:
- Team documentation
- Project management
- Personal organization
- Knowledge base
Price: Free for personal use, paid for teams Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Logseq
Local-first block editor
Features:
- ✅ Block-level editing
- ✅ Bidirectional links
- ✅ Local storage
- ✅ Privacy protection
- ✅ Open source and free
Best for:
- Journaling
- Mind mapping
- Knowledge connection
Price: Free Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Online Editors
Dillinger
Cloud-based Markdown editor
Features:
- ✅ No installation required
- ✅ Cloud storage integration
- ✅ Real-time preview
- ✅ Multiple export formats
Link: https://dillinger.io/
StackEdit
Feature-rich online editor
Features:
- ✅ Offline support
- ✅ Sync to multiple platforms
- ✅ Collaborative editing
- ✅ Extended syntax support
Link: https://stackedit.io/
HackMD
Collaborative writing platform
Features:
- ✅ Real-time collaboration
- ✅ Presentation mode
- ✅ Version history
- ✅ Permission management
Link: https://hackmd.io/
Mobile Editors
iOS
iA Writer
- ✅ Focused writing experience
- ✅ Syntax highlighting
- ✅ Document sync
- ✅ Export features
1Blocker
- ✅ Simple interface
- ✅ Markdown support
- ✅ Cloud sync
Android
Markor
- ✅ Open source and free
- ✅ Local storage
- ✅ Syntax highlighting
- ✅ File management
JotterPad
- ✅ Cross-platform sync
- ✅ Multiple format support
- ✅ Cloud storage integration
Selection Guide
Choose by Use Case
Scenario | Recommended Editors | Reason |
---|---|---|
Academic writing | Typora, Zettlr | Math formulas, reference management |
Technical docs | VS Code | Version control, rich plugins |
Personal notes | Obsidian, Notion | Knowledge management, linking |
Quick editing | Sublime Text | Excellent performance, fast startup |
Team collaboration | Notion, HackMD | Real-time collaboration, permission management |
Mobile writing | iA Writer, Markor | Mobile optimization, sync |
Choose by Technical Level
Beginners:
- Typora - WYSIWYG, easy to use
- Notion - User-friendly interface, intuitive features
- Mark Text - Simple and pure
Intermediate users:
- VS Code - Powerful, customizable
- Obsidian - Knowledge management, rich plugins
- Sublime Text - Efficient editing
Advanced users:
- Vim/Neovim - Maximum efficiency
- Zettlr - Specialized for academic writing
- Custom toolchain
Choose by Budget
Free:
- VS Code
- Mark Text
- Obsidian (personal)
- Logseq
- Markor
Paid but worth it:
- Typora ($14.99)
- Sublime Text ($99)
- iA Writer (mobile)
Editor Configuration Tips
VS Code Optimization
{
// Markdown related settings
"markdown.preview.fontSize": 16,
"markdown.preview.lineHeight": 1.6,
"markdown.extension.toc.levels": "2..6",
// Editor settings
"editor.wordWrap": "on",
"editor.lineNumbers": "off",
"editor.minimap.enabled": false,
// Focus mode
"zenMode.centerLayout": false,
"zenMode.hideActivityBar": true,
"zenMode.hideStatusBar": true
}
Typora Custom Theme
/* Custom CSS */
#write {
max-width: 800px;
margin: 0 auto;
line-height: 1.6;
font-size: 16px;
}
h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin-top: 2em;
}
blockquote {
border-left: 4px solid #3498db;
padding-left: 1em;
color: #7f8c8d;
}
Auxiliary Tools
Image Processing
- PicGo - Image upload tool
- Snipaste - Screenshot tool
- TinyPNG - Image compression
Table Generation
- Tables Generator - Online table generator
- Markdown Tables Generator - Visual table editor
Format Conversion
- Pandoc - Universal document converter
- kramdown - Ruby Markdown processor
Next Steps
After choosing the right editor, you can: