Markdown Preview

Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It lets you add formatting to plain text using simple, readable syntax — asterisks for bold and italic, hashes for headings, dashes for lists, and backticks for code. Because Markdown files are plain text, they are tiny, portable, and version-control friendly. Millions of developers, writers, and content creators use Markdown daily for documentation, README files, blog posts, notes, and technical writing.

A live Markdown preview tool bridges the gap between writing and seeing. Instead of saving a file, opening it in another application, and switching back and forth, you type on one side and instantly see the formatted result on the other. This real-time feedback loop speeds up writing, catches formatting mistakes early, and makes it easier to learn Markdown syntax by experimentation. Whether you are drafting a GitHub README, authoring a blog post, or taking structured notes, a live preview editor is one of the most productive ways to work with Markdown.

Common Markdown Syntax

Markdown's core syntax is intentionally minimal. Headings are created with one to six # symbols. Bold text uses double asterisks **like this**, and italic uses single asterisks *like this*. Unordered lists use dashes or asterisks, while ordered lists use numbers followed by a period. Links follow the pattern [text](url), and images are the same but with a leading exclamation mark. Code blocks are fenced with triple backticks, and inline code uses single backticks. Blockquotes start with >. These few rules cover the vast majority of everyday formatting needs.

GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)

GitHub Flavored Markdown extends the original spec with features that developers rely on every day. GFM adds support for tables using pipe characters, task lists with checkboxes, strikethrough text with double tildes, auto-linked URLs, and fenced code blocks with language-specific syntax highlighting. This tool uses the marked library with GFM enabled, so tables, task lists, and strikethrough all render correctly in the preview pane. If you write Markdown for GitHub repositories, pull requests, or issues, what you see here is what you will get on GitHub.

Use Cases for Markdown

• Documentation — Most open-source projects use Markdown for README files, contribution guides, changelogs, and API documentation.
• Technical writing — Static site generators like Jekyll, Hugo, Astro, and Next.js use Markdown as the source format for blog posts and pages.
• Note-taking — Applications like Obsidian, Notion, and Typora use Markdown for structured, searchable notes.
• Messaging — Slack, Discord, Reddit, and Stack Overflow all support Markdown formatting in messages and posts.
• Email drafts — Some email clients and newsletter platforms accept Markdown for composing richly formatted messages.

How This Tool Works

Type or paste Markdown into the editor on the left. The preview pane on the right updates instantly as you type — no buttons to click, no delays. Code blocks receive syntax highlighting via highlight.js, making snippets easy to read. Toggle between a side-by-side layout (ideal for wide screens) and a stacked layout (ideal for narrow screens or focused editing). Use the full-screen preview to see your rendered document without distraction. When you are done, copy the rendered HTML for pasting into a CMS, or copy the raw Markdown to save to a file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Markdown the same as HTML?
No. Markdown is a plain-text formatting syntax that gets converted into HTML. It is much simpler to read and write than raw HTML, which is why it has become the preferred format for documentation and content authoring. This tool converts your Markdown into HTML in real time so you can see exactly what the output looks like.

Can I use HTML inside Markdown?
Yes. Most Markdown parsers, including the one used here, allow inline HTML. You can mix HTML tags directly into your Markdown for elements that Markdown does not natively support, such as centered text, colored spans, or embedded iframes.

What is GitHub Flavored Markdown?
GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) is a superset of standard Markdown maintained by GitHub. It adds tables, task lists, strikethrough, auto-linking, and fenced code blocks. GFM has become a de facto standard across many platforms beyond GitHub, including GitLab, Bitbucket, and numerous documentation tools.

Is my content stored anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Your Markdown text is never sent to a server. When you close the tab, the content is gone unless you copied it first. This tool is completely private.

This Markdown preview tool is free, runs entirely in your browser, and requires no signup. Use it whenever you need a quick, distraction-free environment to write and preview Markdown.