You’ve probably spent hours sifting through the untidy formatting that results from the cross-platform conversion.
We thought it was time we introduced you to Markdown editors and why they are so helpful.
Most people use their content management system’s built-in editor to format text. They will create headings, bold the text, and list items.
It’s all good, but what do you know? Using a complex toolbar or even applying text formatting is unnecessary. Instead, you can use a Markdown Editor.
This post will explain a Markdown Editor, followed by a list of the top Markdown editors.
The goal is to provide you with a minimalistic writing tool to allow you to write down your thoughts and export them into a CMS such as WordPress without worrying too much about the appearance.
What is a Markdown editor?
Markdown is a lightweight and intuitive text-to-HTML conversion tool for web content creators.
Use it to add links images, and format headers and lists.
It is essential to create web content that is easy to read.
Markdown editors have been available since the turn-of-the-century, but they only gained popularity after John Gruber introduced Markdown in 2004.
He was frustrated by the laborious HTML code he used to format his content. So he teamed up with late computer programmer Aaron Swartz and created a simple text formatting syntax to translate content to HTML quickly. Markdown was made in this way.
It uses a simple syntax to achieve the same goals as HTML. It’s easier than hypertext markup, and there’s no need to worry about opening or closing text.
Markdown makes text web-ready by using symbols and characters you already know. Value can be used if you know how to create an emoticon or a hashtag.
Markdown is now packaged with tools that do not require memorizing its syntax. Anyone without HTML knowledge can create web content using a Markdown editor.
Benefits of Markdown Editors
Markdown editors have many benefits, including:
You can work together
You can use Microsoft Word to write a document and ask for input from others. Then, have them return it to you to merge the changes.
This is easy with a collaborative Markdown Editor, as multiple users can edit the same document simultaneously.
Export in multiple formats
Markdown is more accessible to write than HTML. You may still wish to export your content in HTML.
It is easy to create content with the best Markdown editor and export it quickly to PDF, Rich Text Format, or web pages.
You can use any platform.
Many excellent Markdown editors are available for Linux, Mac, Windows, and the web. You can write and edit text on any device or location.
It can make a massive difference to your productivity. Switching devices shouldn’t be a problem if you use a cloud-based file to store copies of your work.
Install the Best Markdown Editors
Markdown editors are available on all major platforms, thanks to the popularity of Markdown. We’ll list the best Markdown editors (platform-wise) and highlight their unique features. Let’s look at the options.
The Best Markdown Editors on Mac
These are the best Markdown editors available for Mac users.
Byword
Byword is an easy-to-use text editor that supports Markdown. It includes subtle syntax highlighting and keyboard shortcuts.
The “Format menu” includes paragraph indent and quote level options. You don’t need to remember the syntax of these styles.
The “Typewriter Mode,” which keeps the line you are writing in the middle of the Mac display, is another feature worth mentioning. “Line and Paragraph Focus” dims all other content except the paragraph you are working on, so you can focus without distraction.
You can publish your content on Tumblr, Blogger WordPress, Medium, and Evernote. The tool allows you to export documents as PDFs, Rich Text Formats, and Word documents.
Ulysses
Ulysses, a Mac OSX Markdown Editor with streamlined features for the entire writing process, is a powerful tool that covers all aspects. You can mark important passages, headlines, or comments with just a few symbols. Ulysses’ Plain Text Enhanced feature allows you to insert images, links, and even footnotes.
You’ll also find that the tool has several other features hidden in its background.
The “Typewriter Mode,” which keeps the focus on the sentence you are currently reading, is also available. A character and word count are also general through the small icon in Ulysses’ taskbar. You can set word counts and deadlines to keep yourself on track.
Ulysses has an easy-to-use publishing feature that is powerful and flexible. You can publish your work to Medium or WordPress as a blog post, a draft, or both. It will also allow you to export your final document into various handy formats, including HTML, DOCX (Rich Text Format), Text Bundle, and Plain Text.
MacDown
MacDown offers a powerful tool with syntax highlighting and live preview. It also has a minimalistic look that makes applying Markdown formatting easy.
Tzu-Ping Chun released MacDown when he announced that Mou, one of his favorite MarkDown editors, was ceasing development. Chun began from scratch, spending weekends creating his solution. MacDown is the result.
MacDown, despite its simplicity, is a powerful tool with many features. These include auto-completion and a large number of Markdown syntaxes. Exporting to HTML and PDF produces consistently good results.
The Best Markdown Editors on Windows
Install and use these Markdown tools on your Windows device directly without any configuration.
Caret
Caret is an editor focusing on simplicity, productivity, and a simple UI. The editor can help with fences and HTML. It also has lists, accents, and other features. It can also complete HTML, file paths, HTML code, and emoji.
Caret’s tool sidebar displays folder data. Your work is listed on the upper edge. It can be used to jump directly to a document, to activate typewriter mode, or to activate dark mode for working at night.
Caret is an excellent way to learn Markdown, as the syntax will always be displayed. However, you can also activate a preview window if you prefer. You can also export your documents in HTML and PDF.
