Markdown Editor

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Markdown Editor

Real-time markdown editor with live preview, syntax highlighting, and export capabilities.

Markdown Editing

Write markdown with instant preview. Supports headings, lists, links, images, code blocks, tables, and more. Perfect for documentation, README files, and content creation.

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Syntax Guide

Text Formatting:

  • # Heading 1
  • ## Heading 2
  • ### Heading 3
  • **bold text**
  • *italic text*
  • ~~strikethrough~~
  • `inline code`

Lists & Links:

  • - Unordered list
  • 1. Ordered list
  • [Link text](URL)
  • ![Alt text](image.jpg)
  • > Blockquote
  • --- (Horizontal rule)
  • ```language (Code block)

Frequently Asked Questions

What Markdown flavor is supported and what are the differences from GitHub Flavored Markdown?
This editor uses CommonMark with GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) extensions. Core CommonMark: headings (# H1 to ###### H6), emphasis (*italic*, **bold**), lists (ordered 1. and unordered -), links ([text](url)), images (![alt](url)), code blocks (```lang), and blockquotes (>). GFM extensions: Tables using | Header | Header | with |---|---| separator, strikethrough with ~~text~~, task lists with - [ ] and - [x], autolinked URLs (no brackets needed), and fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting. Differences from strict GFM: Some platforms add custom extensions like emoji shortcodes (:smile:), footnotes ([^1]), definition lists, or math rendering ($$equation$$). These may not render identically everywhere. HTML support: Markdown allows inline HTML, but many platforms (including GitHub) sanitize it for security. Test your Markdown in the target environment (GitHub README, static site generator, documentation platform) to ensure compatibility.
How do I create tables, and what are the formatting rules?
Basic table syntax: | Header 1 | Header 2 |\n|----------|----------|\n| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |. The separator line |---|---| is required. Alignment: Left-align (default): |---|, center-align: |:---:|, right-align: |---:|. Example: | Left | Center | Right |\n|:-----|:------:|------:|\n| L | C | R |. Column width: Determined by content, not separator line length. |---| and |-----------| produce the same result. Pipes in cells: Escape with backslash: | Data \| More | or use HTML entities: | Data &#124; More |. Formatting in cells: Bold, italic, code, and links work: | **Bold** | `code` | [link](url) |. Complex tables: Markdown tables don't support merged cells, nested tables, or complex formatting. For those, use HTML <table> tags or convert to HTML/PDF with a processor. Alignment tip: Use a Markdown table generator or formatter to align columns visually in source for better readability, though it doesn't affect rendered output.
What's the difference between inline code, code blocks, and syntax highlighting?
Inline code: Surround with backticks: `code`. Renders in monospace font within a paragraph. Use for variable names, function names, short code snippets. Example: Use the `useState` hook in React. Code blocks (indented): Indent lines with 4 spaces or 1 tab. No syntax highlighting. Example:\n function hello() {\n console.log('Hi')\n }\nFenced code blocks: Use triple backticks with optional language identifier: ```javascript. Supports syntax highlighting for 100+ languages. Common identifiers: javascript, python, bash, json, html, css, sql, diff. Example:\n```python\ndef hello():\n print('Hi')\n```\nSyntax highlighting: Colorizes keywords, strings, comments based on language rules. Improves readability. Powered by libraries like Prism.js or highlight.js. Diff highlighting: Use ```diff with + and - prefixes to show code changes. Line numbers: Some renderers add line numbers automatically. Specify in fence: ```javascript {1,3-5} (implementation-specific). Best practice: Always specify language for fenced blocks to enable syntax highlighting and help screen readers.
How do I embed images, and what are the options for sizing and alignment?
Basic image syntax: ![alt text](https://example.com/image.png). Alt text is required for accessibility. Local images: Use relative paths: ![Logo](./assets/logo.png) or ![Logo](/images/logo.png). Path resolution depends on your build system. Image titles: Add hover text with quotes: ![Alt](url "Title text"). Sizing and alignment: Pure Markdown doesn't support image sizing. Workarounds: 1. HTML: <img src="url" alt="Alt" width="200" height="150">. Most platforms support inline HTML for images. 2. Percentage width: <img src="url" width="50%">. 3. Alignment: Center with <p align="center"><img src="url"></p> (HTML-based, not pure Markdown). Reference-style images: Define once, use multiple times: ![Logo][logo]\n[logo]: https://example.com/logo.png. Keeps content clean when reusing images. Base64 embedded images: ![Alt](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KG...) for small icons (not recommended for large images due to file size). Lazy loading: Use HTML with loading="lazy" attribute for performance: <img src="url" loading="lazy">. Not all Markdown renderers support HTML attributes.
How do I create links, and what are the best practices for internal vs external links?
Inline links: [Link text](https://example.com). Title attribute: [Link](url "Hover text"). Reference-style links: [Link text][ref]\n[ref]: https://example.com. Better for long URLs or repeated links. References can be placed anywhere in document. Autolinks: Bare URLs become clickable: https://example.com (GFM feature). Email: <email@example.com>. Internal links (same page): Link to headings: [Go to section](#heading-id). Heading IDs are auto-generated from text: "My Heading" becomes #my-heading. Spaces become hyphens, special characters removed. Relative links (same site): [Other page](../docs/guide.md) for static sites or [Other page](/docs/guide) for web apps. External links: Always use https:// protocol. For security, consider adding rel="noopener noreferrer" via HTML: <a href="url" rel="noopener">Link</a>. Link validation: Dead links break user experience. Use link checkers in CI/CD. Accessibility: Use descriptive link text. Avoid "click here" or "read more". Example: "Read the [API documentation](url)" not "[Click here](url) for API docs". Opening in new tab: Requires HTML: <a href="url" target="_blank">Link</a>.
What are the security considerations when rendering user-generated Markdown?
1. XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): Malicious users can inject JavaScript via HTML: <script>alert('XSS')</script> or <img src=x onerror="alert('XSS')">. Mitigation: Use a sanitizing Markdown renderer like marked with DOMPurify or markdown-it with sanitize plugin. Never use innerHTML directly with rendered Markdown. 2. Link injection: [Click](javascript:alert('XSS')) executes JavaScript. Sanitizers should block javascript:, data:, and vbscript: protocols. Whitelist only http:, https:, mailto:, and # anchors. 3. Image hotlinking: External images can track users via loading analytics. Consider proxying external images through your server or using CSP headers. 4. HTML injection: Markdown allows inline HTML. Disable HTML parsing or use strict sanitization. Libraries: markdown-it({html: false}) or marked.setOptions({sanitize: true}). 5. DoS via complexity: Deeply nested lists or very long documents can crash renderers. Set size limits and parsing timeouts. 6. Content Security Policy (CSP): Use CSP headers to prevent inline script execution even if sanitization fails. Best practice: Use well-maintained libraries (marked, markdown-it), enable strict mode, sanitize HTML output with DOMPurify, validate all user input, and test with OWASP XSS payloads.

Markdown Editor - Live Preview & Export

Markdown editing with live preview revolutionizes technical documentation, README creation, and content writing by providing instant visual feedback as you type. Our markdown editor combines real-time rendering with split view, quick formatting tools, and export capabilities perfect for developers, technical writers, and content creators. The live preview feature displays formatted output instantly, eliminating the guess-and-check cycle common with traditional markdown workflows. Understanding how markdown renders is crucial for creating professional documentation, blog posts, GitHub README files, and technical articles. The editor supports comprehensive markdown syntax including headers, bold, italic, strikethrough, links, images, code blocks, lists, blockquotes, and tables with accurate rendering matching popular platforms like GitHub and Stack Overflow. Split view mode shows editor and preview side-by-side for optimal writing experience, while editor-only and preview-only modes provide focused environments for drafting or reviewing. Quick formatting toolbar buttons insert common syntax patterns with one click, accelerating documentation creation for developers who prefer visual controls over memorizing syntax. The editor tracks character count, word count, and line count in real-time, helping writers meet content requirements and maintain consistency. Download functionality exports markdown as .md files for version control, while copy-to-clipboard enables quick sharing. Documentation-driven development teams use markdown editors to create README files, API documentation, user guides, and changelogs with professional formatting. Whether you're writing GitHub project documentation, creating blog content, drafting technical specifications, or preparing course materials, this markdown editor with live preview accelerates content creation with immediate visual feedback and professional-quality output.

Key Features

  • Live preview with real-time rendering showing formatted output as you type markdown
  • Multiple view modes including split view, editor-only, and preview-only for different workflows
  • Quick formatting toolbar with one-click buttons for bold, italic, links, code, lists, and quotes
  • Comprehensive markdown support including headers, tables, code blocks, and inline formatting
  • Real-time statistics displaying character count, word count, and line count for content planning
  • Download and copy functionality for exporting markdown files and sharing content

Common Use Cases

  • Open source developers creating README files and documentation for GitHub repositories
  • Technical writers drafting API documentation, user guides, and technical specifications
  • Content creators writing blog posts and articles with markdown syntax for publishing platforms
  • Software teams documenting features, changelogs, and release notes for version control
  • Educators preparing course materials, tutorials, and educational content with formatted examples
  • Developers writing markdown for Stack Overflow answers, forum posts, and community contributions

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