Markdown Preview

What is Markdown Preview?

Markdown Preview renders GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) in real time with a split-pane editor showing source and rendered output side by side. It supports standard Markdown syntax plus GFM extensions including tables, task lists, strikethrough, autolinks, and fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting. The tool also handles emoji shortcodes, footnotes, and HTML elements embedded within Markdown.

Open source maintainers writing README files, technical writers drafting documentation, and developers creating project wikis and knowledge base articles. The tool runs entirely in your browser — your data never leaves your device.

How to Use Markdown Preview

1. Type or paste Markdown content in the left editor panel
2. View the rendered output updating in real time in the right preview panel
3. Use the toolbar buttons for common formatting — headings, bold, italic, links, and code blocks
4. Toggle the scroll sync to keep the editor and preview aligned
5. Export the rendered content as HTML or copy the raw Markdown to clipboard

Common Use Cases

• Previewing README.md files before committing them to a GitHub repository
• Drafting technical documentation with tables, code blocks, and structured headings
• Writing and previewing blog posts for static site generators like Next.js, Astro, or Hugo
• Composing issue descriptions and pull request templates with proper Markdown formatting
• Creating project wikis and knowledge base articles with consistent formatting

Pro Tips

• Use fenced code blocks with language identifiers (```typescript) for syntax highlighting — GitHub and most renderers detect the language and apply coloring
• For complex tables, use the pipe syntax with alignment colons — :--- for left, :---: for center, ---: for right alignment
• Markdown renderers vary between platforms — test your content against GitHub Flavored Markdown spec if your target is GitHub, as some extensions like footnotes are platform-specific

Why Use This Tool?

• Privacy-first: All processing happens locally in your browser. No data is transmitted to any server.
• No installation required: Works in any modern browser on desktop or mobile.
• Completely free: No account, no credit card, no usage caps.
• Fast and reliable: Powered by modern Web APIs for near-instant results.

Related Concepts

Learn more about related topics: GitHub Flavored Markdown, CommonMark, MDX, reStructuredText.

Frequently Asked Questions