Markdown is a text-based markup language created by John Gruber in 2004 as a way to write in an easy-to-read format that can be converted into HTML. It uses a very simple formatting syntax of familiar punctuation and characters, which makes writing content for the web a faster and more intuitive experience.

As Markdown grows in popularity, new tools and applications have sprung up to cater to writing, converting and previewing the markup language. From tutorials, WordPress plugins and books to dedicated Markdown Service Tools for OS X, there is a wealth of excellent resources available.

The Mac is a great tool for writers, with a plethora of software available for any kind of writing. It doesn't matter if you're a student spending long nights on your big paper, a journalist writing up your latest scoop, or a novelist furiously typing away on your next opus — there's an app for you on the Mac.

This post concentrates on 78 of the best tools and applications for writing and previewing Markdown, including resources for Windows, Mac OS X, iOS and the web.

Are there any Markdown tools we may have missed? Please share your recommendations with our readers in the comments below.

1. Markable

Markable is a powerful online Markdown editor, with syntax highlighting, auto indent and unindent, current line highlighting, and line numbers. It also allows the conversion of HTML to Markdown when uploading or importing files. Markable allows live previewing and is fully integrated with both Evernote and Dropbox.

2. Markdown Here

Markdown Here helps you write email more quickly and powerfully without extra effort, as the tool eliminates all of the hassle of formatting email. It's available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Thunderbird, and it lets you add tables, source code snippets and even mathematical formulae to your email.

3. MultiMarkdown Composer

MultiMarkdown Composer is a text editor for Mac OS X, designed from the ground up around the MultiMarkdown Syntax. It is designed to make writing in Markdown even easier, with automatic syntax highlighting, built-in previews and easy exporting to any format, so you can focus on actual writing, rather than worrying about formatting and styles.

4. Scribble

Scribble is used to create simple Wiki pages using Markdown syntax. It features live updates, collaboration and three plans to choose from, with the free plan allowing the creation of up to five Wikis. It's simple and straightforward to use, and it's ideal for teams organizing large volumes of data, connecting with remote workers or collecting information for new projects and employees.

5. Marked App

Marked is a flexible Markdown editor boasting a live preview, which shows you the final output of your document as you work and refreshes every time you save. It even automatically scrolls to where you’re currently editing in your document. With one click, you can copy HTML and rich text, save a PDF or print your work. It also includes tools for handling page breaks, titles, tables of contents and much more.

6. Write Monkey

Writemonkey is a Windows Zenware writing application with an extremely stripped down user interface, which means it's light, fast and efficient. With an array of innovative tools under the hood and full Markdown support, it helps you write better.

7. iA Writer

iA Writer offers a noise- and distraction-free writing experience, and it supports Markdown syntax so you can format your text without using a mouse, merely by adding a few simple characters. It's subtly formatted on-screen with the Writer's Auto Markdown feature. Updates are made after a three-second pause, and copying from the preview window lets you paste formatted text into other apps.

8. Mou

Mou parses Markdown syntax with a split-screen window, so while you type on the left, the text is saved and updated with the HTML conversion on the right in real time. The default setup only presents your syntax in raw HTML format, but you can import your CSS to better represent how your end product will look.

9. Markdown Dingus

Markdown Dingus is the official Markdown converter from John Gruber (the creator of Markdown), which allows you to paste your Markdown syntax into it and preview the resulting HTML output. The cheat sheet located on the right is also useful for common syntax.

10. Byword

Byword is a simple and efficient text editor for Mac OS X. It features complete Markdown support, allowing you to preview your documents in the app and export to HTML, PDF, rich text or even publish directly to many popular web platforms. It also offers keyboard shortcuts, word count and live updates.

11. EpicEditor

EpicEditor is an embeddable JavaScript Markdown editor with split full-screen editing, live previewing, automatic draft saving, offline support and more. It offers a robust API, can be easily themed, is easy to implement and requires just a single line of JavaScript to create a Markdown editor.

12. Markdown Pro

Markdown Pro is an easy-to-use editor for Markdown syntax, featuring a live preview to see how your formatted text will look. You can add your own custom templates to the template list to personalize your experience. It also boasts full-screen support, auto-saving, and 'Export to PDF or HTML' and 'Revert to Save' functions, so you can choose the document version to which you want to revert.

13. MarkdownPad

MarkdownPad is a full-featured Markdown editor for Windows, with keyboard shortcuts, live previews and customizable fonts, colors, layouts and stylesheets. It supports multiple Markdown processing engines, including Markdown Extra and GitHub Flavored Markdown, with tabbed documents, spell check, auto-save and syntax highlighting.

14. Easy Markdown

Easy Markdown lets the user create web pages with readable, well-formatted text by using the Markdown rules. As you type on the left, you will see the HTML output on the right, which can be copied to use in other apps. You can even create correctly formatted Markdown text without remembering the markdown rules thanks helpful tips from Easy Markdown.

15. Markdown Here

Markdown Here is a Google Chrome extension that lets you write email in Markdown and render it before sending. It's especially good for programmers who write email with code in them, and it even supports syntax highlighting. It's simple to use — just write your email in your email client's rich text editor using Github-flavored Markdown, right-click in the compose area and then click 'Markdown Toggle.' This will convert the Markdown styntax to HTML.

16. Dillinger

Dillinger is an online, cloud-based, HTML5-filled Markdown Editor, with live preview and integration with Dropbox and Github. Dillinger has a split-screen live view, so as you type your Markdown on the left side of the window, you can view your formatted output on the right, in real time. It doesn't have built-in word count or spell-checking, but it features multiple themes, making it perfect as a free, flexible Markdown editor.

17. Editor

Editor is a simple Markdown editor (not WYSIWYG, but plain text), which you can host on your own servers. The easiest way to use Editor is simply to load the script and stylesheet. Once you've done this, an editor instance can be created, and the editor will take the position of the first <textarea> element. Editor supports icons for inserting bold text, italics, blockquotes, lists, links, images and more.

18. Markdown Note

Markdown is a Mac OS X and iOS app featuring live previews, so you can preview your Markdown markup syntax to HTML while writing. It also allows you to sync your documents with Dropbox, use extended keyboard shortcuts and reference Markdown syntax.

19. Markdown Live Editor

Built using WMD and other open-source tools, Markdown Live Editor allows you to create and preview Markdown. Snipping tool for mac shortcut. When you press the 'copy markdown' button, you'll get the Markdown markup wrapped in 'markdown' and 'p' tags, so you can send it as an email in order to create new blog post entries with services like Tumblr.

20. Markdown Editor

Markdown is a text-to-HTML conversion tool, which takes easy-to-read text that can be written by anyone and converts it to HTML. It's less of a fully-featured editor and more a simple tool to introduce others gently to Markdown syntax. You can start typing straight into the text box or upload a file to edit, then save the output as a TXT or HTML file.

21. Online Markdown Editor

The Online Markdown Editor lets you create HTML by entering text in a simple format that's easy to read and write. As you type Markdown text in the left window, you can see the HTML in the right pane. There is a Markdown syntax guide available, which you can view by switching the right-hand window from Preview to Syntax Guide.

22. ReText

ReText is a simple but powerful text editor for Markdown and reStructuredText, written in Python using Qt libraries, and is able to run on any platform. It supports full Markdown and features: tabs, live preview, auto-save, syntax highlighting, CSS styles support, and tags and symbols for quick insertion. There are Markdown and Export extensions available, and the app also also allows uploading to Google Docs.

23. Wri.pe

Wri.pe is a simple, smart web-based notepad that supports Markdown, so you're able to input your notes quickly and efficiently. Dates written in the title or body are automatically inserted into your calendar, with keyboard shortcuts also supported. It's accessible from any device and your notes are kept safe with daily backups to Dropbox.

24. Sublime Text

Sublime Text is a sophisticated cross-platform text editor for code, markup and prose. It serves as a fantastic 'base' application to which you can extend with plugins. Extensions such as MarkdownEditing, Markdown Preview and Smart Markdown can help to create a phenomenal Markdown focused app.

25. MarsEdit

MarsEdit is a popular tool for blogging and publishing, which has full support for Markdown with a preview window, so you can see how your Markdown document will look when styled and formatted. You can pair this with the Markdown on Save WordPress plugin (during WordPress installation), so once you click 'Send to Blog,' the plugin will convert your Markdown to HTML and publish the post.

26. Scrivener

Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool for writers, which offers great Markdown compatibility, allowing you to write and export your Markdown in a variety of formats. While it doesn't offer Markdown previewing, it works well with both Markdown and MultiMarkdown syntaxes.

27. BlogEasy

BlogEasy is a minimal blog client for WordPress that offers a simple, easy to use approach to publishing, with a small set of core features. You can write in Markdown, which is then automatically converted to HTML when published. You can also preview how the Markdown will look once formatted.

28. Notebooks for Mac

Notebooks for Mac is a powerful note-taking, task management and file storage app that supports Markdown. Just write your text in Markdown syntax and preview it (as Rich Text), which will change the file to HTML and present a variety of formatting options. Alternatively, you can choose 'Copy as Markdown' and paste it into other applications, such as WordPress.

29. Text Wrangler

TextWrangler has long been regarded as one of the best and most popular HTML/Text editors for the Mac, which natively understands Markdown syntax. It saves only to plain-text files, and doesn't support styled-text formats such as RTF, but with just a few steps, you can have Markdown installed and ready to work.

30. Texts

Texts is a cross-platform visual Markdown editor, which helps you write well-structured documents, stored as plain text with Markdown markup. You can publish to PDF, HTML, Word, ePub and other formats, and apply styles to words and paragraphs with ease. Texts uses XeLaTex (a high-quality typesetting system) and a modern version of TeX to create PDFs.

31. TextMate

TextMate is a well known text editor that supports a variety of languages through a system known as Bundles. To use Markdown in TextMate, simply download and install the Markdown Bundle. It's accessible from the Bundles menubar and inserts features such as preview, convert, cheat sheet and even allows you to generate the output in a browser.

32. Macchiato

Macchiato is a beautiful and simple plain text editor built from the ground up for writing Markdown prose. It formats Markdown text as you write and supports a variety of color and typographic themes. It features auto-saving, version history and full-screen mode for distraction-free writing.

33. Draft

Draft provides easy version control and collaboration for writers and supports Markdown, with rendered previews. Of special note are the Markdown to-do/tasks, which make creating lists and notes with Markdown incredibly simple, using GitHub-style Markdown syntax.

34. Qute

Qute is a cross-platform text editor with both Markdown and TeX support, and features per paragraph preview, so users can switch between editing the source and viewing a rich text rendering with typeset formulas for each paragraph separately. The interface is minimal, providing a distraction-free environment to write, with full-screen support. Qute is also themeable, so it can be customized to suit personal tastes and requirements.

35. Pandoc

Pandoc is a universal document converter and can convert documents from one format to another. It can both read and write Markdown, convert it to HTML and produce PDFs where LaTeX is installed. Pandoc utilizes a modular design to parse text in a given format and produce a native representation of it.

36. Nottingham

Inspired by Notational Velocity, Nottingham is an elegant notepad for Mac OS X that allows you to view fully customizable Markdown previews of your notes. It syncs via Simplenote and you can view your notes in both portrait and landscape mode, and sync with Dropbox to easily store your files as plain text notes.

37. LoremIpsum

LoremIpsum is a Mac OS X text editor for Markdown and rich text that features Markdown smart editing, export to HTML and a basic Markdown text formatter. It also features real-time Markdown preview and specific Markdown list continuations, with comprehensive keyboard shortcuts for speed and efficiency.

38. Free

Free provides a simple, uncluttered writing experience, which fully supports Markdown (along with various other formats) to offer a distraction-free reading and writing environment. It boasts full-screen previews, auto-save, iCloud integration, paragraph highlighting, color schemes, readability statistics and formatted export to HTML or other documents.

39. Clean Writer Pro

Clean Writer Pro is a powerful, flexible fullscreen-capable text editor with Markdown preview, allowing you to convert documents to HTML using Markdown syntax, and export it to Clipboard, ready to be pasted or used in other applications. It features live counters for characters, words, hard lines and line numbers, along with paragraph focus mode, which lets you focus solely on the current paragraph with the others simply faded out.

40. Markdown.css

Markdown CSS uses CSS to make HTML look like plain-text Markdown, with no JavaScript hacks required. It's built to support all of the standard Markdown elements, with an experimental Bookmarklet also available. If this interests you, there is also an older Markdown CSS project called ReMarkdown, which boasts similar functionality.

41. Writedown

Writedown for Mac OS X is a minimalist text editor with Markdown syntax highlighting, with a small Markdown guide available under Markdown Basics in the main menu. It supports a variety of other formats, and features preview and full-screen modes with a customized appearance, allowing for changes to text, colors and text width. It also has a word counter and auto-save feature, which kicks in every five minutes.

42. TextEdit

It would be remiss not to mention Mac OS X's very own TextEdit, which can be used to create and edit Markdown formatted content and preview any Markdown syntax rendered in HTML. It may not have all the bells and whistles of other Markdown-specific apps, but it's a free and easy alternative.

43. Markdown On Save

Markdown On Save is a WordPress plugin that allows you to compose content in Markdown on a per-item basis. The Markdown version is stored separately, so you can deactivate this plugin any time and your posts won't spew out Markdown, because HTML is stored in the 'post_content.' When you re-edit the post, the Markdown version is swapped into the editor for you to edit.

44. Smultron

Smultron is an elegant, powerful text editor with Markdown support, allowing you to write in Markdown and preview how it will be rendered as you write. It works with plain text only and offers a full-screen mode for distraction-free writing. The Documents palette shows all of the documents you currently have open, and each document is given its own window. Other features include syntax coloring, comments, tags and auto-complete.

45. Hallo

Hallo is a simple in-place text editor, allowing you to edit and preview Markdown in WYSIWYG. Instead of cluttered forms or toolbars, you edit your web content as it is. It uses jQuery UI and HTML5 'contentEditable' functionality, and unlike more traditional editors, the content is never detached from its place on the page, so you can apply CSS rules. You can also customize the Hallo toolbars, with the editor itself designed to be very modular.

46. Online Markdown Editor

Online Markdown Editor is based on WMD, which uses jQuery and the jQuery Syntax Highlighter. You can write and preview Markdown syntax, highlight code and even print the output. A demo is also available to see it in action.

47. Instant Mark

InstantMark is an HTML5 web application that allows you to write using Markdown syntax and see the instant preview on the right panel. You can use your own CSS file by dragging it from your desktop to the 'Drop your CSS file(s) here' area. However, your CSS file will not be uploaded.

48. nvALT 2

nvALT 2 allows you to take notes quickly and effortlessly, and it is a fork of the original Notational Velocity app. It supports MultiMarkdown, and can turn your note into a nicely-formatted HTML page. As you type, the preview window updates automatically, you can copy text to the clipboard and paste it into rich text applications, and the formatting will be preserved. Alternatively, clicking 'View Source' lets you see the generated raw HTML.

49. Mark It Up

MarkItUp is a JavaScript plugin that allows you to turn any text area into a markup editor. Markdown is fully supported, as is HTML, Textile, Wiki Syntax and BBcode. You can even implement your own Markup system easily. It's not meant to be a fully-featured editor, but rather a lightweight, customizable and flexible engine, with keyboard shortcuts and customizable toolbars and menus.

50. Gonzo

Gonzo is a lightweight, open-source Markdown editor written for Adobe Air on desktop, using Flex 4 and AS3. It's a stripped-to-the-bone application that serves one purpose: helping you deliver well formed and easy-to-proofread web content. It is written specifically for those who want to leverage the readability of Markdown over HTML when publishing web content, and it features live HTML preview, multi-tab editing, keyboard shortcuts, HTML export and even an integrated Markdown cheat sheet.

51. BBEdit

BBEdit is a popular, high performance text editor, with an abundance of features for editing, searching and manipulating text. It supports Markdown, which can be previewed directly within the app. You can also set Markdown as the default language in the editor's preferences, with the language module now supporting syntax coloring. The output can be exported or copied and pasted into other applications.

52. Ulysses III

Ulysses III is a writer's environment with a revolutionary text engine, which combines the best concepts of minimal markup with the power and simplicity of OS X. It fully supports Markdown and features a minimalistic three-pane interface with iCloud sync, full-screen previews, state restoration, inline highlighting, comments, footnotes and keyboard shortcuts. You can export your documents to RTF, PDF, TXT or HTML.

53. Markdown Life

Markdown Life is a dedicated Markdown editor with syntax highlighting, live preview, versions support, full-screen mode, code assistance, PDF and HTML export options, and much more. You can customize its appearance using themes and templates, with the app also boasting full accessibility support, a word counter and line number display.

54. Denote

Denote is a Markdown text editor for Android that provides effortless syncing with Dropbox. You can create, view and edit text files, with live preview for Markdown and HTML. It features auto-saving, offline support, sortable file listings and customizable font sizes and typefaces.

55. Notesy

Teslacigs update tool for mac. Notesy is a note-taking app for iOS with your notes seamlessly synced over-the-air, to and from your Dropbox account, as plain text files. It has full Markdown support, and even comes with a Markdown-themed accessory keyboard. The sophisticated built-in search functionality means you can find specific notes fast, and even includes sub-folders. It also has full offline support, and you can keep your notes private by setting a pincode.

56. Backpager

Backpager is an online Markdown editor, which you can use as a WYSIWYG Markdown editor because the syntax is converted on the fly, or if you need to write some HTML quickly, edit web content or write technical documentation. Another interesting aspect of Backpager is Showdown Highlight, which is a JavaScript port of Markdown.

57. Nocs

Nocs is an iOS app for browsing, editing and organizing your notes and documents. It's integrated with Dropbox and supports Markdown, which is shown automatically as formatted documents, with on-the-fly conversion. You can easily author rich or plain text documents, with structure, formatting, hyperlinks and pictures with one-tap previews and the ability to export to HTML.

58. MarkMyWords

MarkMyWords is a cross-platform text editor that has been specifically developed and designed for web content producers and supports a selected set of Markup languages, including Markdown. It features syntax-highlighting, headline navigation, templates and instant previews of your document in its formatted state. You can also choose to live-preview in raw HTML-source. The Marker System allows you to set markers to remind yourself of places that need to be edited or missing parts of your document — an especially useful feature.

59. LightPaper

LightPaper is a simple, beautiful and powerful text editor for Android, which supports Markdown and MultiMarkdown. You can switch to Distraction Free Mode to immerse yourself completely in your current paragraph, and you can store your documents locally and sync them with Dropbox. It allows you to preview Markdown as you write it and features Markdown shortcuts to surround or insert Markdown tags quickly.

60. Draft

Draft is a versatile text editor for Android, which lets you easily organize, edit and share all your notes. You can create regular plain text files as well as Markdown and MultiMarkdown files, and since it's powered by Dropbox, your documents are stored in the cloud where you can easily access them from any device. It features full-screen editing, smart editing with dedicated Markdown shortcuts, full text search and folder organization.

61. Simplenote

Simplenote a text-based note-taking application that also supports Markdown. You can write and edit in Markdown by clicking on the 'i' button and mark a note as Markdown Formatted. Simplenote will then show Edit and Preview buttons. You can edit your original text and then preview the rendered HTML, with any links, quotes, headers or other formatting you've added. There is also a wealth of add-ons and extensions to enhance the power of Simplenote.

62. MarkDrop

MarkDrop is a simple, dedicated Markdown editor for Android, which syncs with Dropbox so you always have access to your documents. You can also 'Quick Preview' as your write in Markdown. MarkDrop has a minimal feature set, and lacks tablet support, but is a quick and easy option.

63. Nebulous Notes

Nebulous Notes is a powerful, yet simple, text editor for note-takers, writers and coders. Your notes are backed up and available from Dropbox. You can open and edit all plain-text files with previews available in HTML and MarkDown. It has customizable themes, full-screen support and is tight on security with the ability to protect the app with a PIN.

64. Elements

Elements is a beautiful, versatile text editor for iOS, which allows you to view, edit and share plain text documents with the data stored in your Dropbox account. You can create, view, edit and preview Markdown and MultiMarkdown files. It also features offline support, auto-saving, and word, line and character counts.

65. Writer

Writer is a simple text editor for Android that supports Markdown. You can preview how the document renders, and the app stores your documents as text files on your device. However, this means you need to transfer them manually to your computer or an online storage device.

66. Textastic

Textastic is a fast and versatile text, code and markup editor for iOS and OS X with complete Markdown support and integration. It delivers more than just plain text editing and code completion, with syntax highlighting, format and encoding options, code completion, auto-indentation, symbol navigators and built-in line and column counts. You can also preview rendered Markdown from within the app and email HTML and Markdown files.

67. Markdown Preview

Markdown Preview is a Google Chrome extension that converts and previews Markdown files (.md, .markdown) to HTML right inside Chrome. It now uses Github-style CSS and automatically parses Markdown files into HTML. Just install and check 'Allow access to URLs' in the extension settings. However, note that it currently has no support for tables.

68. Writing Kit

Writing Kit is an advanced Markdown text editor to write Markdown formatted text. It has Dropbox integration and allows you to export documents Markdown or HTML. Its features include auto-save, CloudApp support, document outlines, in-app previews, font choices, word and character counts, cheat sheets, and TextExpander integration. Of particular interest is the research facilities, such as word definitions and Wikipedia summaries.

69. Heck Yes Markdown

Heck Yes Markdown comes from the team behind Marked, and it's home to the 'Markdownifier,' which converts any web page to Markdown. You can preview the Markdown syntax or the rendered HTML, and even copy the Markdown text to the clipboard. There is also a variety of Bookmarklets available with different options and combinations of features.

70. Strapdown.js

Strapdown.js makes it simple to create elegant Markdown documents, with no server-side compilation required. You can use it to document your projects, create tutorials, home pages and more. It's search-engine friendly, cross-browser compatible (tested with mobile Safari, IE 8/9, Firefox, Chrome), themeable and uses Github-flavored Markdown to support tables and syntax highlighting.

71. Textdown

Textdown is a simple, efficient, powerful and customizable text editor for Google Chrome that lets you edit and write Markdown. It features a live preview pane for the rendered output along with autopairing, export to HTML and shortcut keys. It allows you to print local files and save Markdown links and images when copying.

72. Chocolat

Chocolat is a beautiful, practical text editor for Mac OS X that supports Markdown. It combines native Cocoa with powerful text editing tools, and features split-screen editing, syntax highlighting, auto-complete, multi-cursor editing, live preview and even comes prepackaged with documentation for the active language. There are also a variety of pre-defined themes to choose from.

73. Hashify

Hashify is a simple Markdown editor that, as you type on the left, automatically formats your text on the right side. It's unique in that every URL contains the complete contents of the page, and the address bar updates with each keystroke as you type into the editor. It's powered by Showdown and is clean, fast and efficient. The Hashify Editor from the same author may also be of interest, as it turns any text area into a capable Markdown editor.

74. Markdown Live Preview

Markdown Live Preview is an easy-to-use, web-based Markdown editor and previewer that lets you write Markdown syntax in the text area and then preview it by clicking on HTML Preview. You can go back and edit your markup using the Edit Markdown button. It utilizes Markdown.js, which is a Markdown parser for JavaScript.

75. Dropplets

Dropplets is a simple open-source Markdown blogging platform, dedicated to making blogging simple again, with no database or confusing admins. It's easy to install, and you can compose posts entirely in Markdown (using any text editor), then drag and drop to publish. It ships with two templates, with more to be added in future versions. There's a demo available to see how Dropplets works and looks.

76. Markdown Viewer

Markdown Viewer is a simple live markdown editor combining Twitter Bootstrap and Markdown.js, which supports the original Markdown syntax. It also includes a cheat sheet with all the major Markdown syntax for easy reference.

77. Markdown.io

Markdown.io allows you to easily create websites, Wikis and blogs without the need of HTML knowledge. You simply write in Markdown and then save to a public folder in a cloud storage provider (such as Dropbox), and select 'Get public link.' You can then put the URL into the text box on Markdown.io and hit 'Go!' There is also a Wiki provided to help you get started quickly.

78. Poster

Poster is a beautiful, easy-to-use blog editor with Markdown support, allowing you to preview Markdown formatted posts quickly and automatically convert Markdown to HTML when publishing to your blog. It is tightly integrated with Dropbox and features full WordPress integration, including custom post types.

Mashable composite: Image via iStockphoto, Si-Gal

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that makes it easy to format and present content for the web. It uses plain text and simple syntax to keep everything straightforward—we have a handy Markdown cheat sheet you can print for reference.

While any plain text editor will work for Markdown, there are also dedicated Markdown editors for displaying and converting your writing into beautiful HTML, PDF, and beyond. Some of these are free, others are cheap, and some work with other tools to make Markdown more appealing.

Here are six of the best Markdown editors and tools for Mac users.

1. MacDown

MacDown is a free and open source15 Free Open-Source Mac Apps You Must Install15 Free Open-Source Mac Apps You Must InstallWant to use some open source software on your Mac? These macOS apps are open-source, awesome, and best of all.. free!Read More Markdown editor based on Mou. It surfaced when Mou’s developer ceased work on the project, sparking the idea to create a free editor that mimicked much of Mou’s features and functionality. The two projects are separate ventures, with MacDown steaming ahead in terms of development.

This is a Markdown editor that isn’t so much focused on code as it is writing. It uses a simple two-pane code view and rendered Markdown view to display changes in real-time. There’s the usual syntax highlighting you’d expect from an editor of its kind, and the editor offers a surprisingly good amount of customization.

This includes changes to the core functionality, allowing you to toggle non-standard Markdown extensions like tables, strikethroughs, and fenced code blocks. There are a ton of light and dark themes to choose from. Plus it has the ability to tweak editor appearance including line spacing and base font.

You can also change rendering style by picking from the included CSS or installing your own stylesheets. Rendering options are limited to HTML and PDF, with a handy Copy HTML feature for pasting directly into your projects.

Download:MacDown (Free)

2. Typora

If you’re not keen on the two-pane approach of most Markdown editors, check out Typora. It’s an editor that makes working with Markdown more visually appealing, using a seamless live preview rather than a separate window. Syntax converts into formatted text as you type, so what you see is what you get.

Typora supports basic Markdown, GitHub Flavored Markdown, and some interesting additional elements like sequence, flowchart, and mermaid diagrams. You can configure your choice of syntax via the preferences menu, which provides plenty of opportunity to tweak the editor to your liking.

There’s very little on-screen while you’re composing your masterpiece. That makes this ideal for those who enjoy distraction-free writing experiences. Building on this there’s also a typewriter mode (which always keeps the cursor in the middle of the screen) and focus mode (which dims paragraphs you’re currently not working on).

Choose from six included styles, or add your own by copying the relevant stylesheets into the themes folder. In addition to the usual HTML and PDF export, Typora can also convert to Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, RTF, ePub, LaTeX, and image formats (among others).

There’s no online sync, so if you use multiple platforms you’ll need to provide your own cloud solution. Typora is currently free while in beta, and it’s available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Download:Typora (Free)

Read more about why we think Typora is one of the best markdown editors8 Reasons Why Typora Might Be Your Favorite Markdown Editor8 Reasons Why Typora Might Be Your Favorite Markdown EditorMarkdown editors are popular as alternatives to powerful text editors. Here's why Typora can claim to be among the best.Read More:

3. Atom

Atom is GitHub’s own plain text editor for scripting, coding, and writing GitHub Flavored Markdown. It’s a fairly simple app with Markdown support out of the box, albeit a little barebones for writers. It takes the standard two-pane preview window approach, with a Markdown Preview option found under the Packages menu.

Out of the box you’d be forgiven for discounting Atom, but there’s a lot more potential when you pair it with the right add-ons. A quick search of the package repository yields a healthy number of extensions that make Atom a force to be reckoned with when working with Markdown.

These include conversion tools to HTML, PDF, and image formats. You’ll also find support for other flavors beyond GitHub Flavored Markdown, toolbar plugins, table of contents generators, better image support, and tools for improved tables.

It’s a great solution if you already use Atom, or are looking for a plaintext editor you can also use for scripting or other programming purposes. Atom also enjoys great theme support, so you can get your editor looking just the way you like it. Just search for and install themes within the editor.

Atom is completely free as part of GitHub’s efforts to provide a tool that makes coding accessible to all. It might not be the most user-friendly approach, but it’s a robust and powerful tool in the right hands. Visual Studio Code is another great free alternative to Atom that’s also worth checking out.

Download:Atom (Free)

4. Caret

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Caret is another minimal Markdown editor, with a clean interface and emphasis on productivity. It uses tabs to keep all relevant documents close at hand, with a main editor that displays both the syntax and the resulting formatted text. It’s a great way to learn MarkdownLearning Markdown: Write For The Web, FasterLearning Markdown: Write For The Web, FasterMarkdown is the best way to write in plain text but still create complex documents. Unlike HTML or LaTex, for example, Markdown is simple to learn.Read More, since your syntax is always visible, but you can also enable a preview pane if you want.

Caret officially supports GitHub Flavored Markdown, including tables, math blocks, and indented code blocks. It also packs a few unique features, like the thematic break accessible with three spaces and three identical dashes or asterisks.

The sidebar displays a folder’s contents, with your active documents appearing along the top edge of the editor. There’s a macOS Spotlight-like Go To tool for quickly jumping to a file or section of your document, a dark mode, and typewriter mode too.

Caret’s developers built it with speed in mind. It features assistance for building tables, auto-completion of file paths, emoji, and HTML. You also get spelling correction and multiple cursors—a feature normally reserved for powerful text editors.

Caret exports to HTML and PDF, and the beta version is free (though it’s not clear what the limitations to this version are). You can buy a license for $29 to continue to use Caret and support development efforts.

Download:Caret (Free trial, $29)

5. Ulysses

Ulysses is a full-fat writing appIs It Time to Ditch Pages and Word for Ulysses?Is It Time to Ditch Pages and Word for Ulysses?In 2016, not everyone needs a full-service word processing program, which is why software like Ulysses exists.Read More, with some seriously powerful features. It’s the sort of app you’ll want to use if writing is your livelihood, with its distraction-free and minimal approach to producing prose. It uses Markdown in a bid to make writers more productive, removing the need to take your eyes off the text to apply formatting or create headers.

Like Caret, Ulysses takes a hybrid approach to markup. Your syntax is still visible while writing, but so too is the formatting that this markup applies to your text. Links appear in-line, and bold and italics are both emphasized. You have the ability to customize how these elements appear in the app’s preferences.

For working with Markdown, you can choose from regular Markdown and what Ulysses calls Markdown XL. This adds additional syntax for elements like videos, annotations, comments, block quotes, and more. Some themes let you change how the editor displays your elements, plus you have the opportunity to create your own themes.

Ulysses really comes into its own when it comes to exporting your writing. There are themes available for exporting beautiful HTML and PDF documents, but also support for ePub and Microsoft Word. Cloud support via iCloud or Dropbox means you can work on the same documents using different devices (including iOS devices). Versioning support ensures you can revert to a backup if needed.

As a pure writing and publishing tool, Ulysses has the most to offer of all apps featured here. However, you might not need everything Ulysses offers, so a free option might suit you just as well. Ulysses uses a subscription model with a 14-day free trial, then $5 per month. You can also get Ulysses as part of the Mac app subscription service Setapp.

Download:Ulysses (Free trial, $5 monthly/$40 yearly)

6. Marked 2

Marked 2 isn’t actually an editor, but a Markdown preview tool. That means you won’t use Marked to create documents, but it can turn just about any other text editor into a Markdown editor. The preview the app generates updates every time you save your file, or you can use it as a proofreading tool for files you’ve already created.

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The app includes a wide array of processing and rendering options for getting the look you want. You can customize Marked with your own CSS to match your blog, so you know how your articles will look as you write them. You can also use the built-in readability, spellcheck, and link validation tools to make sure your work is up to scratch.

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Marked also includes a table of contents panel for working with especially long documents, generated using your headings. The app is compliant with Markdown, GitHub Flavored Markdown, and even includes support for custom processors so coders can use the app with their own syntax.

Export options are extensive, with support for nine built-in themes (with the option of adding your own). Formats include PDF, RTF, Microsoft Word, and OpenOffice. You can try Marked for free before you buy, then pay $14 for the full version. It’s also available on Setapp.

Download:Marked 2 (Free trial, $14)

Don’t Forget Your Favorite Mac Text Editors

You don’t need a fancy Markdown editor to work with Markdown. A plain text editor works too. Your favorite editor will do, whether it’s Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code, or Vim. Check out our favorite plaintext editors for MacThe Best Mac Text Editors to Use in 2018The Best Mac Text Editors to Use in 2018Need a new text editor for your Mac? Here are the best free and paid macOS text editors for plain text, coding, and everything in between.Read More if you’re looking for inspiration.

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